Wisdom couple
by Mortalsapien
Summary: (DISCONTINUED) True-love never runs smooth, not even for superheroes couple. After many hurdles and roadblocks in their path, Amazon Princess is united with her Dark Knight. But what will happen when two nosy Goddesses intervene in their love life? In midst of friends, goddesses, and meddlers can their love survive? (BMWW) Romance/Drama/Humor.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: **All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

I've earned nothing but the love of writing wonder-bat.

**A/n:** This story is not beta read. Author commits all mistakes and errors. Lines in _Italics _are direct thoughts of respective characters.

**0o0o0o**

**Chapter – 1 (Lies and Doubts)**

Rain thumped against the granite footpath stones as the harsh winds rivaled the rainstorm with equal passion. In raw weather of Gotham city, the cemetery was covered in frigidity. After the weather department had warned for heavy rainfall, most visitors had already canceled their plans for evening. Still, a lonesome figure stood nearby two graves.

The graves of wealthiest couple of city: Thomas and Martha Wayne.

Most of Gothamiets knew them as the bestowers of the finest charitable hospitals. Among the elite families of Gotham, they were philanthropists. But for their own son, Bruce Wayne, they were ideals—the pillars on which he had formed his foundation.

Bruce rarely came to the cemetery unless the anniversary of that unfortunate event. It was a black-day in Gotham history when he lost his cherished ones, his parents.

Sapphire eyes hardened in stone as they fell upon stony graves.

Bruce hated the place. Whenever he visited it, those memories of his parents assaulted him back. Those memories, which had once—

Bruce shook his head in efforts to clear his mind. He was not a past-dweller. Yet, his heart couldn't accept those words of Alfred. Those words that had scarred his heart many times. Those words that unlocked the chests of buried emotions in his heart, and those words that resurfaced the memories of an Amazon princess.

**0o0o0o**

**Flashback**

The vigilant-protector of Gotham city, the Batman, was hunched over the bat-computer. He was trying to evaluate report on missing girl by GCPD; moreover like re-evaluating, because Diana's talks were still grueling his mind.

Occupied by daydreams of Themysciran heiress, Bruce strayed his attention when Alfred came in cave.

"Master Bruce." Alfred greeted him with a tray.

"Yes, Alfred." Bruce snapped back to attention. Usually, the people who knew him as Batman or Bruce Wayne wouldn't notice little delay in his reply. But with Alfred—it was different. Everything was different.

"I thought Miss Diana will be staying for dinner, sir." Alfred pried.

"She has some work in embassy." Bruce lied through his teeth, tapping randomly on keyboard, and desperately attempted to distract himself. "I'll eat it later, Alfred."

For few minutes, silence remained hanging in the filtered air of damp cave. The occasional flutters by hanging-bats were only sounds, which resonated in the cave.

"Anything else, Alfred?" Bruce asked after few minutes when he felt Alfred had not left the cave, yet.

"I thought Miss Diana expressed the wish of having a dinner at manor, sir."

"Alfred, I'm busy right now. We can discuss that later," Bruce answered, his eyes still glued to monitor screen.

"Yes sir, really busy," Alfred said with a raised brow. "It's fifth reevaluation of same report which is closed for a week now."

Bruce groaned in his seat as his attempt to dissuade his spying-butler had miserably failed.

"I'm trying to find a missing link here," he said, flipping through the different information.

"I'm positive of your work abilities, sir," Alfred paused for few seconds, "but I wanted to ask?"

"Alfred … Gotham needs Batman. I cannot afford a distraction," he said in his monotone.

"Love is not a distraction, Master Bruce."

"I don't love her." Bruce retorted as his hands fisted on the keyboard of supercomputer.

"I never said you do, sir," Alfred replied with equal sarcasm.

"Alfred?"

"Master Bruce," Alfred continued ignoring his silent plea. "What Batman has done for Gotham is not comparable, sir. But with all due respect, you shouldn't forget your limits."

"Batman has no limits, Alfred." Bruce parroted his old answer.

"But Bruce Wayne does, sir."

Bruce jaw clenched with acquainted issue of being a Wayne. "Alfred?" he called his faithful friend who halted on upstairs of hidden doors.

"Do you also think I tainted my family's name?"

"Master Bruce, I'm not the judge of your works. It's your own decisions, sir, not mine."

Bruce stared in blankness, as he knew what Alfred's words meant. _How could he not know that?_

"I've prepared your breakfast, Master Bruce. If you wish to indulge the fiddling food before going to patrol, it might keep your health good." With those words, Alfred left him in the cave.

**Flashback End**

**0o0o0o**

After the drizzling rain, an earthly smell lingered in stale air of cemetery. The stormy winds had turned to cold soothing breezes, but Bruce mind still battled the old doubts. His thoughts were stuck to an Amazon.

Bruce knew the truth.

The truth that in making of the Batman, he had ruined the _Wayne_ in himself. The truth that in rescue of his city, he had spoiled his family name. The truth that in the road of seeking justice, he had transformed the _Wayne_ into a womanizing-playboy-prince of Gotham.

"My efforts against those criminal wounds of Gotham are still fruitless." Bruce head bowed as his knees sank in the soft grass.

"I don't know what I've achieved in all these years of fighting." His calloused hand traced those engraved names of his parents. Blue eyes closed themselves without shedding those stagnant tears.

"I never meant to push her away." His voice cracked with confined emotions. "But, my love will only taint her with the darkness."

"I wish you were here with me, Mom. You would've understood my reasons," he whispered that wish again—the wish of that eight years old son who always longed for his parents. And might always would.

Meanwhile, unaware of him, a pair of aquamarine eyes glistened with tears.

"Bruce."

Bruce mortified in his place as her words pierced through his trance, shattering his guilt walls as if it was nothing but fragile glassware.

_She cannot be here, you're hallucinating._

He chanted those words like a mantra, but there was no burlap-mask wearer around him to prove his theory. Instead, a divine raven goddess stood in front of him.

_Goddess._

Yes, Bruce had never been a firm god-believer. His agnostic beliefs solidified more after watching those rampant crimes in his city. But those were old talks now, until he'd met her.

The Wonder Woman.

The woman whose physical powers matched by only her beauty. The woman whose faith repeatedly showed him that humankind would never perish in the sea hopelessness. And ultimately the same woman who won his heart despite his best efforts to keep distance from her.

"Bruce!" Her exotic scent awoke his senses as she sauntered to him. His heartbeat raced against his will, doubts fogged back his mind.

"Diana…mmphf—" His explanation cut short as her lips sealed over his.

The yearning desires, which had buried up for years, flamed with the kiss. Moans elicited loudly enough to wake up the dead. But they didn't care. Although weather storm had subsided in Gotham, the love-storm between kissing duets continued to escalate.

"Unh," a gasp broke from Diana's lips as chilled breezes of graveyard pulled them back to reality.

"I—" Bruce tore away his body from her embrace, unwillingly.

Standing in the midst of cemetery, drenched in rain, both lovers looked toward each other. Their eyes met fully for the first time. The pair of aquamarines with his sapphires. The faint gleam of tears gave their eyes a different shade of blue. Yet, the cause of tears remained same—their own forbidden love.

The love they both denied to each other.

Many untold words floated between them, but no one dared to say first. Bruce's inner _bat_ screamed not to do anything foolish, while his inner _Wayne_ chastised him to accept the love.

"Princess?"

Diana knew Bruce would recite his long list of rich kids issues, but she had decided. "Bruce, if you're going to intone those issues with—"

"I'm sorry, Princess."

"—me, then listen to me first. I'll only say that." Diana continued her talk, ignoring his words totally.

"I Am Sorry, Diana!" Bruce almost shouted this time.

"WH…What?" she stared at him for few passing seconds before he continued.

"I'm sorry, Diana," he murmured again, his words in that raspy timbre voice almost lost in wilderness. "I never meant to say those hurtful words to you."

His words made Diana's heart clench. She paused him as her hand trailed along his chiseled face. "I know, you never mean them." Her eyes held an understanding.

"But, Bruce, I'm sorry. I never mean to force you into this."

"No, Princess, it's my fault," he admitted. "But Diana, I'm not the perfect person—"

"Bruce, before you start and try to give me suggestion, or yours pity excuses. Listen Me Out!" She forced each word with her poking finger on his chest.

"It's my decision. And only I'll decide who I love."

"Fine," Bruce grunted, knowing there was no outlet for this situation. Instead, he asked, "How did you come here, you was supposed to be in the UN summit, in Geneva?"

"What?" Diana face scowled at him. His skill in changing topics always astounded her. "Bruce, are you trying to change the topic?"

But before Bruce could answer that, a splash of footsteps paused both of them.

"Who could be here?"

Bruce's body went stiff as he came to conclusion, and he growled. He knew who could be here. "Who else, except the matchmaker."

Diana wanted to ask more when the figure of loyal butler appeared around the corner. Dressed in his formal robe, holding an umbrella, and a small smile on his face, Alfred greeted them.

"Ah! Master Bruce, Miss Diana."

"Evening Alfred," Diana said with a smile while Bruce grumbled in background.

"Any longer plans to stay here, sir?" Alfred asked.

Bruce looked toward her. "You go ahead; I need some more time here. If you need anything, Alfred will've all troubles sorted out."

"Of course, Master Bruce."

"It won't take long." He assured her with the gentle squeeze on her hand.

Diana huffed with little annoyance, but agreed as Alfred led her way back to limo. Lastly, she saw him; he was laying roses at the last memorial of his parents.

She knew those _i__ssues_ existed between them—they always did. But she had ensured herself that she'd fight for her love. She'd fight for _theirs_ love.

**0o0o0o**

In lull silence that kept the cemetery wrapped in its music, Diana and Alfred trotted back to parking area when Diana finally asked her question. "Alfred, why did you say on the phone that—"

"I apologies, your highness, but I lied on phone call."

She blinked few times before responding, "Why, Alfred?"

"Because, Miss Diana, sometimes even best of us can commit mistakes," he paused. "Even Master Bruce can."

"And you always try to make up for him?" she prodded with curiosity.

"Certainly not, Miss. Sometimes, I merely try to repair them as his butler," Alfred replied with his custom-butler smile.

"Bruce is lucky to have you, Alfred." Diana returned his smile evenly as her answer brought a satisfactory smile on Alfred's face.

"We're lucky to have you highness."

"Alfred!" Diana blushed with those compliments. "And please, Alfred, how many times I've said not to call me highness or majesty."

"Miss Diana, royalty is never called by their names," Alfred ordered.

"Alfred!" Diana whined to convince him, yet her efforts remained fruitless in front of the bat-butler. Then, she realized one certain fact_—_Bruce obstinate nature was never fully inherited. The butler of Wayne Manor affected a part of Bruce's stubbornness.

**0o0o0o**

**(Somewhere else)**

The beautiful feminine figure smiled as she saw the events in her magical pool. "Finally, I have a perfect couple."

Smoothing her wrinkled robe, she stood as white swans swarmed around her in blissful manner.

"Don't be so over excited girls," she chastised them with her infectious smile. "It's just beginning after all."

**0o0o0o**

**A/n: **First, I ask for apology. I know I left the thing around, but I'm trying to improve the errors.

Secondly, this fiction is dedicated to my favorite wonder-bat writers. Y'all are inspiration to me. Especially to **Lotslover**—your writing is like regular pill of BMWW.

And I forgot to mention, suggestions and positive criticism are always welcomed.


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: **Quotations used in the fiction are credited to their respective writers.

**A/n: **Thanks for all feedback. I appreciate them altogether. Here's next update.

**0o0o0o**

"Sometimes the heart sees what is invisible to the eyes." - H. Jackson Brown Jr.

**0o0o0o**

**Chapter – 2 (Two Goddesses)**

With a sigh, Diana adjusted her glasses on her nose. Fifteenth times or more, she had already lost the counts of how many times she did the same action. But no matter what, that annoying pair of glasses just kept her worked up.

Her magical-bracelet shone despite the dim moonlight of gloomy sky. Evening cool breezes tingled along her ears trying to soothe her mind, which was trekking deep in thoughts. Random thoughts more likely.

Actually, Diana never grasped the idea of hiding true-identity. Even after spending so much time in Man's world, she never felt the necessity of such rigorous effort. Although her fellow teammates masked their civilian identities, she always remained headstrong in keeping her identity fix.

Nonetheless in short span of time that Diana spent in mortal world, she'd learned many experiences.

Invaluable experiences, which tutored her about the bizarre fascinations of Man's world, especially the one where some gossip magazines love to intrude into other's personal life. Sometimes, she ignored those habits thinking that it was just cultural rifts between Amazons and Patriarch world. But sometimes, it could be downright pesky.

Her blue eyes wandered far in the nightlife of city. The oddness in Man's world was unique. Just like, it was described in those books. Now, she could appreciate the accuracy of those literatures. Every word seemed to be true on the world around her.

Then, realization seeped to her that her mother was right; she still remembered those talks:

_Man's world is corrupted with cruel and savage nature of men, my daughter. Never let those false beauty enamor your eyes._

Still, whenever Diana's eyes flickered around, she found herself fighting off against the striking beauty. A modern world beauty.

She chuckled to herself. Diana knew somehow all those teachings by her mother and aunts fit into mortal world description.

Whether it was inequality between men and women, or falling-out between poor and rich, the dominance and savagery of Man's society reflected all along. But despite all faults, all men were not evil natured animals as Amazons were taught.

After all, if that talk had been true she wouldn't be sitting here.

"Princess?" Bruce, her driving partner, interrupted her musing. "Enjoying the view?"

"Yes," Diana replied simply as her gaze swept over the versatile terrain. A city, which had been a hellhole for every type of criminals. Mother would have declared the place as domain of Hades, Diana grimaced with that thought. Still, she couldn't shake the lingering doubt in her mind.

_Is this the most crime-ridden city of America? _The question repeated itself.

No, she could answer that without a pause. Somehow, she understood why people blemished the city for its darkness. But from her view, she could see a vast difference.

"Bruce?"

"Hmm."

"Gotham looks different from here."

"I know. This part of town is—" Bruce never completed his answer as Diana interjected with exasperated sigh.

"Bruce, I'm not talking about neighborhood."

Looking back at him, she leaned in her seat. Her mind filled with curious doubts. Questions bubbled that she knew her driving partner could answer easily. Still, the topic was sensitive. At least for Bruce, she knew that.

"I'm talking about Gotham itself, Bruce."

"Princess?"

"Don't you ever feel it?" she asked abruptly.

Bruce watched toward her with a mixed scowl look. "Feel what, Diana?"

"I don't know what it's … it's like," Diana searched for right words. "Some kind of vibrant energy or a vibe. I'm not sure."

Bruce gave only a hum in response. "Why do you ask?"

"Just a random question that came in my mind," she answered as her gaze fell back to running scenery.

After serving as Themysciran Ambassador, Diana had traveled across big cities like Metropolis, Star city etc., but Gotham was unlike them. Although most economists rated the Metropolis as one of the safest cities, Diana could see beyond the darkness that veiled infamous crime city. Her eyes captivated with the odd beauty of Gotham.

Then again, Diana could argue that Gotham was enigmatic city. From looming skyscrapers to thick dark Gotham woods. And Poison Ivy to the Joker. The city always gave something new to its visitors. Even though it wasn't pleasant every time, but—

"No one ever felt it."

"What?" Diana jerked from her thoughts with Bruce's words. Her head swirled toward the man who had stood guardian over the same mysterious city. Maybe that's why he was so enigmatic too, she thought.

"That aura you talked about," Bruce clipped back.

"Did you name it?" she asked curiously, tucking back a stray raven lock, which was interrupting their savoring moments.

"Not exactly, but I felt it during my patrols."

Diana stayed silent to his side.

She could prompt him; she knew, but the silent music between them gave the hint of personal feelings. The feelings that Bruce's heart guarded like an impenetrable fort. If she didn't know him better, she couldn't realize that as well. But after so many years of tormented friendship, she had learned more than enough of him.

"For most of the people, Gotham is just a crime infested city or industrial giant where they can grow their money," Bruce continued after few silence seconds. His voice lacked all emotions as if he didn't care.

"I think Gotham has its own beauty, Bruce. It's more than that isn't it," Diana replied softly on which Bruce nodded wordlessly.

Reminding them of their situation, the powerful car engine hummed like music between them. As Diana turned her attention to his appearance, her radiant smile sprouted on her lips.

"What?" Bruce asked when he felt her silent eyes upon him.

"You look good in beard, Bruce."

Bruce lips twitched in response. He suppressed the incoming smile. "Yes, you look very ravishing too in those pair of glasses."

"Better than your French beard, Bruce." She tickled him under the chin while Bruce struggled to scoff her away.

"Don't try anything funny, Princess, I'm driving here," he growled.

Taking pity on him, Diana plopped back in seat when suddenly she remembered the main topic of evening that they had not discussed at all—their date.

"Bruce, where are we going?"

"A good place." Her beau answered in his traditional tone. No extraneous information.

"Does this good place have a name also?" Diana asked, fully resisting the roll of her eyes.

"It has a reputable name but," Bruce smirked with next words. "I won't spoil the surprise for you."

Diana glared at his cocky smirk. _Arrogant man._

"Doesn't a _normal couple_ know the place where they're going?" she asked coyly, rubbing along his arm. His cologne smelled good to her senses. No. Not good, but delicious.

_Mmmm, Hera! Snap out of it_—she chided herself. She should not be thinking like that about a man.

"We're certainly not a normal couple, Princess," Bruce continued unknown to her desirable thoughts, "even if we're acting like a French beard man and spectacled nerd girl in disguise."

"Fine," Diana sighed, and did her best not to show her curiousness. "And what did you mean by nerd girl?_"_

"Nothing." Bruce focused his full attention on road ahead.

"I don't remember you saying anything to Kal."

"I don't wish to waste my time on Boy Scout's fashion sense, Princess," Bruce said in a matter-of-fact tone.

Diana shook her head. Sometimes, he could be simply impossible. Why he had to be so enigmatic always, she didn't know.

Maybe he's like a frozen lake, she mused.

No life on the surface, but beyond the ice layers a whole ecosystem thrives. Yes, just like Bruce. Underneath those icy layers of Batman, a man existed who had fought for his city. The man who had crashed watchtower and javelins to save his friends, and the same man, she loved despite his entire obnoxious and pig-headed attitude.

"You can try to guess, Princess." Bruce coaxed her little as the car halted on traffic light.

"No thanks, I'm not in mood to play your guess-game," Diana snapped on him and adjusted her glasses, again.

"Whatever my princess says," Bruce snickered and pushed the accelerator.

She jabbed her mystery-keeping boyfriend. "You should keep your mouth shut and focus more on driving."

"That was you, Princess, who started it. Remember."

"So everything is my fault isn't it?" she folded her arms and glared at him. Amazonian temper flared unbeknownst her.

"Umm," Bruce paused deliberately.

"I can't believe that you're even thinking about it also."

"You said it yourself, Princess, I'm just obeying the orders."

"Don't call me Princess!"

"Diana?"

"Don't call me Diana either."

"C'mon, Diana."

As the covert couple continued throwing arguments to each other, the convertible BMW moved toward its unnamed destination.

**0o0o0o**

**(Meanwhile in Mount. Olympus)**

Watching the banters of heroic couple, love goddess, Aphrodite sat around a shimmering pool. Her comely hands meshed in an anxious gesture. Her flawless face adorned a peeking curiosity as if she couldn't get enough of her _love-show_.

She was busy admiring the covert couple when suddenly a glow engulfed her chamber.

"Aphrodite, why didn't you come in meeting?" Athena asked right away, without pausing to greet the pleasure goddess.

"Atty!"

"Sappho," Athena paused. As she drew deep breaths in sweet-scented chamber, she composed her features. Being angry without a purpose was never in her nature.

"You know that, I don't like that nickname."

"Come on, Atty." Swan goddess patted her seat in invitation and gave a smile in return. "Anything important happened in the meeting?"

"Depends," Athena answered. Sitting on comfy seats, she scanned over the decor of chamber.

Like her name, Aphrodite always kept her chamber well decorated. Greek to Egyptian artifacts and antique furniture to modern world artwork was gilded in everywhere.

Furbished in floral scents, the chamber gave a sense of serenity, which was rare to find even on the Mount Olympus. How Aphrodite maintained the sanctity of her chamber Athena never understood. Yet, she liked it.

Personally, Athena knew besides Apollo and Hestia, the swan goddess was far friendlier than her half-sister Artemis was.

"Depends on what?" Sappho asked.

"If you count Ares bragging an important discussion point."

Aphrodite chuckled in response. Her laughter pulled a smile on wisdom goddess' face too.

"So what have you been up to?" Atty asked. Her eyes inspected the magical pool where Sappho was lingering.

"My usual work."

Hushing away the swans from the floor, Sappho picked up a red rose. "Atty, you know I've something special for you."

"Sappho?"

"I recently worked on a couple, and I've named them in your honor."

"On me." A scowl dawned over Athena's face at the news.

After her short encounter with Hestia, Athena had learned about the weird hobby of love goddess. Apparently, Sappho had recently stuck to habit of tagging her couples in honor of different gods and goddesses. _Poor Hestia._ She had been one of the first victims of those tortures.

"In my honor?"

"Yes, in your honor, Atty," Sappho said with cheerful smile.

"Oh!" Athena scowl deepened more. The situation was worse than she expected. Usually, she could avoid anyone with her glares. But Sappho, _nah,_ she'd be more persistent. _Time to get away as soon as possible._

"Sappho, I should be going by now. I've some business to attend." Athena tried to rush out of the chamber. _Faster, the better._

"C'mon Atty, at least try and watch the couple," Sappho pouted.

"Sappho?"

"This couple is especially for you, Atty."

Athena hesitated after watching the doleful face of pleasure goddess. She wasn't hard-hearted after all. _Great Zeus_! Why I'm the one who always get stuck with her, she thought.

"Fine," she huffed and relented back in the seat. "But you've to be fast, I don't have much time."

"Ok, I'll be quick," Sappho said and clasped her hands together. "First, tell me what you know about the mortal named as Bruce Wayne?"

Atty frowned. She knew well enough about Aphrodite's habitual boasting, but this was odd. Too odd.

"Sappho, didn't you stop pairing up superheroes?"

"You certainly know how to spoil my mood," Sappho snapped. Shrugging her shoulders, she tore one petal after another from red rose in thoughtful manner.

"I did give up, but sometimes opportunities are just irresistible to let go. You know that."

"Yes, sure." Athena mocked and shook her head at fickleness of pleasure goddess. No, wonder why love goddess never stays steady with her relationships.

"Ok, what did you named them this time?" Athena asked changing the topic. She knew the better choice for her was that Sappho should get started sooner on her _special duet_.

"So where was I?"

"You were asking about that mortal and for your answer. Yes, I do know about him."

"You know he is—" Sappho attempted to ask again.

"I know he's a night vigilante of man's world city, Gotham. Can we get to the point?"

"Impatient much, Atty." Sappho tormented her more.

"Sappho!"

"Ok, I give up." Aphrodite threw her hands up in a resignation. However, a bemused smile remained intact on her face.

"If you don't want to tell me then it's fine." With those words, Atty rose from her seat.

"Atty! C'mon, please, I was just joking!"

Wisdom goddess stopped in her tracks. She saw apologetic look on Sappho's face. And she knew, she'd regret this decision later, but her natural curiosity ceased her feet.

"Ok, but no more guess games."

"You're a party spoiler," Sappho said before continuing her work on pool. She closed her eyes; her lips chanted those old _Grecian catchwords_, which only she could use.

"What are you trying to do?"

"Can't you be patient, Atty?"

"Fine," Athena sank back in her seat, her eyes fixed on love goddess.

After few seconds, the mystical pool flickered to life, and a big grin plastered on Aphrodite's face.

"Here we go, and I've named them as," Sappho paused for drama. "Wisdom Couple."

Athena frowned at the tag-name, but she didn't utter any words. _What was the use?_

Currents of the magical liquid in pool slugged slowly, and a picture of a couple appeared. Athena could determine the couple was kissing. However, the background was vague at best, as she sensed the grim weather of Gotham city.

She recognized the man in duet as Bruce Wayne—thanks to Sappho's input—but, the woman's face was still obscured from her. After few minutes when couple separated with sudden impulse, the gray-eyed goddess identified the woman in question.

And then.

"WHAT IN THE NAME OF ZEUS." A roar of warrior goddess shook the chamber.

**0o0o0o**

**A/n: **Reviews/constructive criticisms are always appreciated. Leave one or pm me. I love reading them.

I do not know if chapter was up to your expectations, but I struggled with this one (Although most of the chapter was finished beforehand). Honestly, this writing stuff is still new to me. Moreover, since I'm brushing my grammar do forgive me for those clumsy mistakes too.

Until then. Keep Reading.


	3. Chapter 3

**0o0o0o**

"Love is always bestowed as a gift - freely, willingly and without expectation. We don't love to be loved; we love to love."- Leo Buscaglia.

**0o0o0o**

**Chapter – 3 (A Normal Date)**

Among the flock of cars, an ordinary looking BMW stopped to halt. Tires crunched the gravel of parking pavement as its ignition cut off. And Bruce Wayne descended out of it.

No camera flashes, no yelling reporters, no questions, and certainly no playboy facade to put up. Bruce heaved a sigh with incoming change. After a long time, he felt those unspeakable baggage lighten on his shoulders. Unspeakable—because Batman was not a loudmouth and Bruce Wayne was just a dimwit billionaire who cared only for bimbos and champagne in parties.

Sharp blue eyes swept around for any sulking reporters in nooks of parking lot.

From old encounters, he had learned that they'd a habit of hiding here and there. Most people would scoff such act as paranoia, but Bruce understood the value of habit. Not a habit actually rather a tool in his detective's arsenal that saved his live countless times.

Bruce was confident that their secret ids were not compromised and perfectly working. Still he never took chances, especially not on theirs date.

Giving the area one last check over, he jogged around and opened the car door for his date.

"Princess?" he asked Diana, offering his hand.

She accepted and gracefully climbed out of car. Strange? Bruce thought. In most situations, she'd thwart such proposal. Being raised as an Amazon had made her a person who didn't rely on anyone, even if the man was most eligible bachelor of the world.

As soon as Diana walked out, Bruce eyes roamed over his date's appearance. He immediately took few deep breaths in attempt to calm down his racing heartbeat. _How he had missed those details?_

Diana wore her knee-length black dress with elegance. Snugly fitting, the dress was simple and familiar to Kaznia's event dress. Of course, Bruce had insisted that no flashy dress could be worn. And until now his plan seemed to run smoothly also when the problem arose. Kind of different problem as Diana's dress didn't appear so simple now.

Reason: his princess.

Hugging each curve of her body, showing those long flawless legs, the silky fabricated dress pouched her willowy figure beyond any simple dress. Even her not so classy spectacles looked unusually seductive on her.

Sadly, the torture continued for Bruce as his eyes shifted over her sculpted frame. Her body reflected every bit of exquisite feminine power. Bruce even pondered that she resembled to an animated sea-nymph with _cute glasses._

"This place looks familiar, Bruce," Diana asked, pulling him back from dreamland.

"If you say so, Princess."

"Bruce?"

"You'll see the place soon, Diana. No point of asking me everything, is it?" he dodged her question with his own and pushed those lewd thoughts away.

Sighing softly, she nodded her head. But Bruce caught those silent questions peering through her sea-blue eyes, or maybe they were dusty aqua. He wasn't aware of eye's colors, because he never tried such act.

Whether it was beating criminal on rooftops, or chasing after some molesters in dark alley, he never found time for admiring those beautiful eyes. Not even _his_ own, which Alfred said was a gift of her father. In the end, Bruce knew he could only hope that she'd like his surprise, even if his chances were fleeting.

_Be positive_—Bruce ensured himself.

"Come, we're not here for standing." He urged her, snaking his hand on the svelte waist.

**0o0o0o**

Parting the small crowd, the covert couple continued their short journey toward entrance. Like most restaurants Bruce had gone before, this place lacked velvet parking. He understood the reason, because the place was relatively small for such services.

Apart from those facts, he enjoyed these short walks with Diana. Not that their superheroes profession would grant them such moments in future easily, so he did his way; he stole those memories for himself.

Bruce could tell from those tweaks of Diana's lips—the pair of strawberry lips which implored him to kiss—that she was trying to resolve the underlying puzzle of their date. A purposely given puzzle. His ego inflated knowing that she was enjoying the brief challenge as much as he did.

How even it's possible? He mused wryly.

If few years ago someone had said to him that he'd be taking Amazon princess to a date, Bruce would've scowled for sure. Unmistakably not to mention that Amazons were a man-hating tribe, which castrated the men who tried to—

Suddenly, Bruce thought process clogged as Diana froze in her place.

Bruce's body reacted on reflexes, and he almost leaped into action until his eyes locked on entrance. His posture relaxed instantly as newly illuminated headings declared to its customers: _t__he Indian Food Heaven – Tandoor Restaurant._

Oh! So, that's why she seems surprised, Bruce concluded.

Diana stood placid for few seconds as he waited by her side. Patient like always. For her, he could wait forever if he'd that much time. Unfortunately, "the time" was only asset he didn't have in enough amount.

"Do you like the place?" Bruce asked, leaning toward her ear. A pleasant lavender aroma greeted his breathe, rushing in his lungs, and awaking the prurient thoughts again.

Her warmth percolated inside him, burning like the hot coal in a hearth. His arm tightened around her waist. And for few seconds he dueled on prospects of taking her back to Manor. Then, he rejected the idea. They had done fair shares of efforts for the evening, and no way he'd ruin the treasured time with her.

"Umm…Bruce? This name—"

"You have a good memory, Princess." A smile creased on Bruce's lips as her aqua eyes filled with realization.

Bruce watched the mixed emotions running across her face. In fact, he read them easily like a book. But what he didn't hope was that with all those Diana's fluctuated emotions, his own heart elated and fell. His eyes noticed how her pair of bright blue eyes glazed more than any star in Gotham nights. Even he could feel how her body soaked him in something that he thought... he'd never achieve.

Love.

Is it the love? Maybe Bruce wasn't sure, or maybe he still felt those fears.

Aches of those heartbreaks reminded him of those numerous scars. No. Not physical ones, instead they were emotional. They were the reminders to Bruce that even his trusted ones had turned back on him once a time. But he didn't blame them. Truth was, after so many broken relationships, he'd given up on such feelings like love.

Love had eluded him. It hindered the mission.

But with Diana—No—she stirred something else in him. Something, which was buried in depth of his heart like diamond in coal mine. A place where his heart was ruled by only guilt and darkness.

However, like all things that fact had changed also, and was still changing, when she'd surpassed those walls. She had split those darknesses with her light and conquered something that only her tenacity could acquire—Bruce's heart.

"Princess?" he asked again.

"Bruce, it's beautiful," Diana replied after few seconds.

"Come then, we've booking here," Bruce said, and soon they both walked inside the restaurant.

**0o0o0o**

Around the disguised couple, Tandoor restaurant bustled with crowd activities. Many young and old couples, some families were already settled on their tables. Children's shrill voice cried and fought with each other.

It was so _fresh, _Bruce thought.

Then, he realized that somewhere in midst of war against the crime; he never got the chance to admire the true beauty of Gotham—her people. After all, he wasn't fighting for the concrete jungle of city.

The place wasn't over crowded, but the weekend rush was evident. Still the restaurant gave an impression of coziness and family ambience. After Thanagarian invasion, restaurant had expanded more facilities for its customers. The place was itself now twice than previous time.

Terrace and dance floor had added to its glory with many other items on menu list. However, regardless of all efforts, being the only Indian restaurant in neighborhood had its own pros 'n cons. And crowd was one of them.

Looks like Alfred is right again, Bruce thought; they were fashionably late to their first date.

"Is it the same restaurant, Bruce?" Diana asked. Her fingers entwined with Bruce, softly rubbing circles as the couple watched the restaurant in new avatar.

"Yes."

"But it seems so different," Diana voiced her thoughts.

"It's renovated after Thanagarian invasion."

Diana went stiff with painful reminders, and Bruce wished that she wouldn't discuss those particular _flight incident_. He wasn't ready for them yet. The reason he chose this place instead of some fancy restaurants would be useless, if they caught themselves into those past events.

"It looks nice, Bruce, let's go." She beamed to him, tightening her hold on his hand. Bruce just nodded in response, and they closed the distance toward the receptionist.

**0o0o0o**

On counter, a petite brunette was busy in scribbling notes when the heroic couple approached her.

"Ahem." Bruce subtly tried to attract the brunette's attention to them, but the girl was oblivious to her surrounding, little too absorbed in writing her notes.

That's quite unprofessional, Bruce mused; while beside him, Diana cocked a brow to him like silently challenging his influential persona. _Thanks princess!_ He mentally commented and gave a typical smug smile in return.

Bruce knew what she was referring to.

Actually, he was unsure himself also, which was kind of awkward for him, but truth had been that he never tried such activity. His billionaire image always garnered more than enough limelight for him, so need to perform any such trials was out of box. However, now the situation demanded as his detective brain churned into activity. Not a big task for world detective.

"Namaste," Bruce fluently said in _Hindi_, which perked his princess's attention, but sadly had a devastating effect on the girl.

"Shit!" Brunette receptionist cursed, scrambling to her feet. She muttered some more curses while she grabbed and stuffed her sprinkled notes on desk.

"Namaste! Welcome to Tandoor restaurant. My name's Nancy," the girl said in an automated pilot mode.

Bruce was sure that she must have rehearsed it dozen of times. Diana smiled slightly in amusement and nudged her partner, whose eyes were still scanning petite girl with some uncertainty.

"We have a reservation here for evening," Bruce told the info, remaining calm by completely amused ordeal.

"Could you tell the names please?" the girl hesitantly asked, putting her notes aside.

"Bruce Kane and Diana Prince."

"Thank you." Nancy nodded her thanks.

Bruce watched as the girl checked their covert id names from logs. He knew the ids would work and grant them both a much-needed privacy. Particularly for Diana who didn't have any secret identity.

Meanwhile, Bruce inspected the young receptionist again. She was a _college-dweller_ as much as he could guess. Her accent and facial expression gave the odor of Indian culture or least south Asian culture.

After spending a good part of his self-exiled journey across Asian subcontinent, training with his once teacher—Ra's al Ghul, Bruce had enough command to detect any cultural differences with ease. Those mere differences had taught him how broad the human civilizations could be. And there was always a hope to learn more.

"Oh, you're from Wayne Enterprise," Nancy said with smile. A genuine smile, not the fake ones Bruce was used to see on people's face. _Alfred's advice was right again._

"I'm an employee there," Bruce explained his forged fake-id and gestured toward Diana, who was eagerly watching the ongoing conversation. "And this is my girlfriend, Diana."

"It's still our honor to host someone from Wayne Enterprise." The girl quickly stood and turned on her heels.

"Send Lyla up here," she shouted before motioning them to follow her. "Come this way, those elevators are more crowded around weekends."

The trio soon passed through a short corridor and boarded the elevator.

In the elevator ride, Bruce kept his silence while the girl was tapping her right foot in tip-top rhythm. Her face was diamond cut with complementing black hairs. He also noticed the pen marks on right hand thumb. Writing marks. Maybe she was writer type, he guessed.

As few seconds slipped away, Bruce felt a nagging suspicion that silence wasn't going to live anymore. Why? He didn't know thus far.

"Are you Indians?" Nancy suddenly chimed in, catching them off guard and proving Bruce's intuition right.

"No," Diana replied instead of Bruce somewhat puzzled by girl's question.

"Oh, sorry, it's nothing," the girl quickly apologized, brushing her raven hairs. "It's just you seem so familiar with those black hairs. They aren't common here. I mean, yes, there are people, but your hair color has different hue. You know, a bit like natural."

Quite observant—Bruce noted that and sincerely hoped that girl was just curious. Otherwise.

"It's just second time of us here. And Diana is from Greece, not from Gotham," Bruce told the truth, partially correct as well.

Nancy nodded her head as elevator dinged the bell. Signaling their arrival to destination, doors parted open and trio strolled out.

"This way." Nancy quickly led them again.

Soon, they were on the terrace of restaurant, where dining tables were arranged around a decent sized dance floor in middle. It was simple as compared to other places Bruce had visited, but he considered it a welcoming change from those gluttonous places.

"Come. We've arranged a special table when we get to know you work for Wayne enterprise," Nancy said.

"Some tokens for Wayne employers. I didn't know about that?" Diana asked, throwing an accusing glance at Bruce.

"Oh. It's just gratitude gesture, nothing fancy," Nancy spoke gently. "Wayne enterprise had helped us to restore the place. Especially since they allowed us our business freedom, we can do something for their employees."

"Business freedom?" Diana asked.

"I mean, after invasion we were almost at verge of shutting down when Wayne Enterprises suggested the merger. Some others also had expanded _helping-hands_ toward us in past, but they just wanted to swallow our business. And _Ma, Papa_... they won't agree for those proposals, however, now all things have worked out."

Diana raised an inquiring brow to Bruce who grunted his approval to theory.

"No doubt, they did a good decision. It's nice place," Diana complimented.

"Thank you. With Wayne enterprise fund, we reestablished this terrace and many more things. It gives a good view of Gotham night as well. Oh, here's your table." Nancy motioned toward a corner table.

A secluded table was set, providing them ample private space and good view, just like Bruce had requested.

"Thank you." Bruce nodded his head and pulled up a chair for Diana, who shook her head at his gentlemen custom. _Show off._

"Please be comfortable here, someone will drop by soon to take your orders." Nancy smiled, and with one last _Namaste_ she disappeared, which left the couple alone to themselves.

"Huh, Indian restaurant, Bruce."

Bruce cracked a tiny smile while reading the menu. A smile that made Diana's heart flutter. _Hera ! I'm starting to behave strange._ Are all people like this on their date, or it's just her problem; she didn't know.

"So I take that you liked the place."

Diana rolled her eyes at his question. "Don't you ever get worn out with these mysteries and surprises, Bruce?"

"So you don't like it?" Bruce asked, glancing at his menu and skipping her question.

Diana glared playfully and fastened her hands on bust. "And what if I don't like?"

"Well nothing, just that, you still have to bear me as your date," Bruce said in equal flippant manner, though hints of amusement were clear.

"So what do you like to eat first?"

Skimming over her menu, Diana frowned. No ... there was no crossword puzzles or Riddler's threat in menu, but despite her diverse cultural wisdom she'd never eaten Indian food before. All those listed foods were far more peculiar than her imagination.

"I can order for you, if you want some help?"

Looking up to her beau, Diana saw the clod smile was dancing on his lips, as she knew he was prompting her to ask. _Typical him._

"How sweet of you, Bruce. But no thanks, I can order for myself."

"Sure, Princess, just don't hesitate to ask anything."

"I can handle my food order just fine. Don't worry." Diana twinkled a smile, and readied herself to submerge in more quizzical menu. It was surely a normal date.

**0o0o0o**

**A/n: **Yeah, there is some more date scene, so hang on and give your views. I hope that it's enjoyable for you frnds.

Until then. Keep reading.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/n: **For all those frnds who have a weak Greek mythology (like me). Athena: the goddess of war, intelligence, and craft. Aphrodite: the goddess of love, pleasure, and beauty.

**0o0o0o**

"A kiss can be a comma, a question mark, or an exclamation point."- Mistinguett

**0o0o0o**

**Chapter - 4 (Words unsaid)**

**(In Mount Olympus)**

"WHAT IN THE NAME OF ZEUS!"

"Cool down Atty," Sappho said as she glanced at enraged wisdom goddess. "What's gotten into you?"

"What has gotten into me?" Athena shouted back at the question, gray eyes burning with rage.

Her tall, lean, and femininely muscular frame loomed over the nonchalant love goddess, who sat lazily beside the pool. The kissing image of a couple floated in magical puddle, while Sappho smile shone like an artist whose art is on the exhibition.

"You're asking me, what's gotten into me after watching this as well."

"Yes, Atty, that's what I'm asking you?" Sappho asked wearily. Her fingers twirled the golden locks as she kept a thoughtful gaze at wisdom goddess. "Few minutes ago you were normal. But now you look like... you've absorbed some powers of Ares, Atty."

"Don't dodge my question by your petty tricks, Aphrodite." Athena yelled. "Tell me what was Diana doing with that foul mortal?"

"Oh, them." Sappho grinned, her finger brushed against the pool as the image dissipated slowly. "They're dating now, err... I mean courting each other now."

_Courting._

Athena's fist clenched at the word_. _Teeth gritted together and somehow she restrained her uprising anger. "Aphrodite, do you even know what have you done?"

Sappho threw a puzzled look at her. "I'm perfectly aware of my work, Atty. I don't know what your problem is, but I can attest from my side that everything is fine."

"Sure, it's fine with you." Athena voice bellowed in chamber. "After all, you're getting lots of satisfaction from sitting and playing this whole love-matching game."

"Oh. Don't play coy and almighty with me, Atty." Aphrodite shrieked from her place, arms gingerly folded against her bust. "Remember, how you played your fair share of games during the Trojan War. Or should I say with your precious hero Odysseus particularly."

Fists balled as Athena pulsed in pure ire. The glow around her turned darker, expressing her distressed thoughts. "Don't you dare go there, Sappho? I just help those who need my guidance."

"Oh really," Sappho sniggered. Holding her head high and raising her hand in blessing gesture, she continued further.

"Then why can't you help all at once. But of course not, you popped in and posed for him. All gods thought you were doing all this goody two-shoe job of showing the good path to a hero. And don't even try to deny it, Atty, because Circe has told me everything. In details." Aphrodite enunciated her last words, giving a full glowering look.

Silence hung in chamber as the twitter of birds died for few moments.

Finished with her caustic remarks, Sappho turned back to pool, but her hands stopped dead.

"APHRODITE!"

Athena's voice split the air, thundering like Zeus mighty bolt. Her informal robes faded into nothingness as the feared Goddess of war stood in front of Sappho.

Unlike any other divinity, Athena's armor gleamed with old battle scars, acting as the reminders of her endless victories. The spear stood tall and proud in her grasp—ready to decimate its enemy. The gorgon snakes on infamous shield, the aegis, hissed with war-lust.

"Huh, trying to scare me, Atty." Sappho snickered and leaned back in his seat, smugly relaxed. "But sadly I've to disappoint you that I don't feel fearful of your spear or aegis."

"You're crossing your limits, Aphrodite!"

"You're crossing the line, Atty." Sappho stood without fazing. "Don't start your hypocrite nonsense with me. First, I invited you here, and see what are you doing?"

Suddenly pulling herself from blinding anger, Athena's eyes panned over the chamber. Instantly she regretted. The colorful birds, swans, and even the few flowers were hiding or wilting in corners of chamber, trying their best to edge away from ensuing goddesses' war.

_It's not right._ Athena knew that even before the thought occurred to her.

The scene diluted her anger back to sanity. Her armored robe faded again, replaced by satin chiton, which possessed a wisdom goddess, not any blood lusting deity. She breathed her anger out, as much as she could, but the main issue still existed.

"What happened to Diana, Sappho?" Athena's voice was controlled, but not less daunting. Either way she doubted it would affect any good on pleasure goddess, who was soothing and patting a swan on her lap.

"Tell me Sappho?"

"I don't know what you're trying to accuse me, Atty," Sappho said as her fingers gingerly moved over the white feathered swan, lips murmuring some old Greek folklore in her sweet voice.

"Don't test my patience." Athena scowled.

"Didn't I tell you, Atty. They are a couple now, I'm telling the truth. If you don't want to believe it, then it's fine with me."

"She's our warrior and ambassador to Man's world. How can you do this to her?" Athena voice pitched higher again.

"What's that suppose to mean?" Aphrodite glared. "Don't give me that look, Atty, you know as all gods know. I cannot try to make them fall in love with each other until they have those feelings. Even I've some limits."

Athena groaned. The same migraine built again in her mind, because of the continuous love, love, and love talk. She wanted answers, just her answers.

"There's no way Diana would even think about some foul man. She's an Amazon princess; she'd never stall over her duty."

"C'mon, Atty. Don't start again with all those lecture on duty and Amazon _thing_. Diana is a woman as much as she is a warrior. And if you really want to know then I can say that duty is one of the reason why they're together now."

Athena forced herself to curb her rising anger, again.

"I don't want to know what you've done, or that foul man has done. He has tried to defile our once best creation, and I won't sit here and do nothing. He'll pay for this."

"What are you saying, Atty?" Aphrodite's eyes flared. A rare event that occurred only when someone insulted her, the most beautiful goddess of Olympians.

Of all people, she had never expected that Athena would say such statements. They always had been on the same page despite their different visions toward mortals.

"I'm going to turn that mortal into a pig," Athena said without any visible turmoil, and a silence stretched over the chamber.

And then, a pearly laughter rang in chamber as all living beings snapped to attention.

"I thought you won't copy Circe's style, Atty," Sappho said, laughing and taunting the craft goddess.

Athena avoided the laughing goddess and prepared to depart toward the mortal world. Although after Trojan War they didn't interfere anymore in the Man's world, this case was special. It needed her personal attention. For once—no one would dare such acts again after she'd be through with _that_ petty mortal.

"Atty?"

"I'm going to see that the mortal will get his punishment by other gods too."

"Atty, you cannot drag them between our personal wars." Sappho raised her own voice.

"It's not personal matter any longer, Sappho. Diana is our warrior and he's tried to spoil her virtue. He'll be punished."

Tossing her hair aside, Athena did her judgment. Her gray eyes reflected the unflinching determination. The vengeful fire fueled again in her heart against those _pest_ men. All while Aphrodite stood shocked at Athena's declaration.

"How can you say that, Atty, you don't even know them together?"

"I don't need to know anything else," Athena said simply.

"You can't do that, Atty. I've honored them in your name!" Sappho reasoned.

"I don't care!" Athena spat back and turned to leave.

"You can't do that, Atty, it's not fair!"

"Watch me then." With those words wisdom goddess dissolved in the glowing shower.

**0o0o0o**

**(Back in Gotham)**

A soft melodious rhythm leaked in the air of Tandoor restaurant, as some couples danced on the floor. Few duets enjoyed their spar of intense arguments with each other. While some were still sitting and giving each other those lovesick looks that movies always brags about in their never-ending commercials.

However, despite all those chatters and noises a couple danced in their own solitude. There were no intense arguments between them. Neither had they given lovesick looks. Instead, a savvy, tranquil silence enveloped them. An aura radiated around them unseen to human eyes.

It wasn't a common occurrence among couples.

Then, they weren't a common couple either. Long sparring sessions, incredible hand-eye coordination, and top-notch fitness reflected in their dance moves. They floated effortlessly on dance floor like the sea foams on waves. The background slow music, the dim illumination of Gotham's murky sky gave a perfect romantic ambience.

"Bruce?"

"Yes."

"You didn't answer my question yet," Diana asked, ruffling through his soft dark hairs.

"You know the reason as much as I know, Diana."

Diana curbed her sigh again as her not-so-talkative beau gave his usual round-robin answer. Most time, she was amused at how he manipulated simple words to form his answers. But few times, like now, she felt the utter annoyance with his habit. A chafing habit of keeping secrets—she reminded herself.

"Bruce."

"You like the place, don't you?" he asked the rhetorical question.

"Yes, I do. But—"

"Then it's enough for me." He cut off her answer in middle, as usual.

"Fine," Diana sighed as silence resumed back between them.

At heart, she knew she might have expected too much from him. Perhaps too soon as well.

Did she expect him to open up suddenly on their date? No, of course not. Yet, her heart was hopeful that maybe he'd open up to her. Or maybe he'd share those inner demons with her, which had kept them apart for so long. At least she was sure that he wouldn't try to block her out again.

"Princess?"

"It's fine Bruce," she replied with a smile.

Bruce gave her a frowned look as if he knew her smile was forced—_Of course, he knew!_

Diana muttered some curses in her mother tongue as his arm twitched around her waist—a slight indication to her that he didn't buy her excuse. _Why cannot I just ignore his probing look? _She reflected on, as Bruce stared at her few seconds, not glaring, but inquiring. Then, suddenly he did something that she couldn't dream yet.

He talked.

"Remember when we came first time here."

Tickling her heartbeat, his raspy voice jolted Diana out of her muses. She nodded her head, recalling those memories when they were hiding from those Thanagarian patrols.

"I still remember how you were embarrassed after the kiss." His eyes crinkled with hidden mirth.

"I thought you'd be angry with that," Diana said softly, avoiding his eyes contact.

"Why would I?" he asked, giving her a smirk. "But I've to say, _**that **_moment is quite beloved for me till long time."

Diana blushed more furiously as Bruce persisted with his sedulous care. More and more memories rushed in her mind. She remembered how after that event she had those weird dreams about him.

No! Not the erotic ones.

She refused to admit that a man could have such effect on her. Besides, Amazons didn't dream about men. However at last, she knew she had to pray to goddess Aphrodite and god Morpheus for help. Only then, she managed her good sleeps back._ Infuriating man._

"You know, sometimes I suspect you enjoy vexing me."

"Maybe." Bruce gave his goofy playboy smile in return.

"Bruce!"

"I'll never think that, Princess," Bruce paused. His face turned blank again to her. "Honestly, I just wanted to take you to a good place. And I knew you'd enjoy this place without those fancy decors."

His confession endeared her heart, and for brief moments time stood still for Diana. She knew it wasn't a big-bat-secret. But for her, it was as prized as the first-born baby to her mother.

"Bruce…"

Her fingers trailed on his muscled chest. The simple but tailored charcoal suit gave a polished image of disguised Bruce Wayne. At that moment, she decided something, and her hands draped on his neck.

Bruce frowned before his eyes widened in a wonder. Her lips brushed his, and stupidly, he didn't even react for few seconds, taken aback by her forwardness. _Guess amazons weren't much talkers_.

His lips pressed softly on hers, sucking the honeyed taste of her lips. He pulled her closer, hand gliding over her curvaceous waist as the kiss deepened further. Pushing her slender figure tightly against him, almost grinding, he drank her sweetness as she responded with her moans, fingers curling in his jet-black hairs.

Dance was a forgotten business when Bruce lips melded into hers. His breath hallowed as their hearts beat together in one rhythm. They latched to each other like two souls huddled together around a bonfire in coldest winter night.

The kiss tantalized Bruce, pushing those mental barriers, which he had erected against her in so many years. Her soft skin burned against his battle worn hands, drenching him in the passion of love. Moreover, Bruce understood in those few moments that she was like a bewitched spell.

A spell that countered his every defense by its own, effortlessly. His past had shown him how he'd struggled against her every time. His all efforts had failed when she ignored his long list of rich-kid issues. It reminded him why he had taken a break from his Bat-routine. Each moment he spent with her was worth anything. And everything.

He believed in _that_.

"I love you, Bruce," she whispered to him, but he could never reply.

**0o0o0o**

**A/n:** Late update... sorry, but RL is kicking around a lot. Vacations are over, more study, and less time for hobby writing.

Big thanks to all for feedback. Leave a short or long review for me. Until then. Keep reading.


	5. Chapter 5

**0o0o0o**

"A warrior may change his metal, but not his heart."- Dejah Thoris. Princess of Mars. Barsoom series.

**0o0o0o**

**Chapter - 5 (Twists)**

To say Diana was a wonder kid in her childhood was simply—overkill.

True, she was an inquisitive girl who always loved to explore her home island. Still, she was just a "young lady" who grew up on an island filled with immortal aunts and being the only heiress to throne meant some extra freedom, which didn't help either. All in all, she was curious and a holy terror.

Jumping in the muddy brook while her royal guards chased after, escaping and hunting in moonlit night of Themyscira, and Diana's favorite—swimming in the sea, far ashore toward Man's world were few of Diana's adventures.

She still amused herself, recalling those smithy ships constructions silhouetted on the horizon against early rising the sun. It was dream of hers, like a child's dream filled with magic swords and dragons.

Just like that, she enjoyed every moment dragging Bruce along in the branching passageway of Indian restaurant laden with different type of acrylic mythology painting, depicting Hindu mythology. Leashing her Knight along, she pinpointed another picturesque to Bruce.

"This one, Bruce."

Upswept and brooding, he retired himself to being the guide. "Ah, this one, it's … Draupadi and her five husbands," he said tonelessly.

"Aww," Bruce feigned a hurt look as Diana slapped his arm lightly. "What was that for?"

"Really?" Diana rolled her eyes. "It's not funny, Bruce."

"What?"

"Stop making jokes!"

"I'm not making jokes, Diana." Bruce retorted as he bathed in the royal ire of wonder woman. A lesser man might have melted into the floor by now. "It's not like Draupadi asked me before getting married."

"You're such intolerant man, Bruce." Diana snapped, holding her chin high and shifting into her ambassador mode. Bruce had faced her like that too many times in past, and every time only one thing happened—he always stuck in losing arguments. _Not now Princess!_

"So, you mean, the woman started doing polygamy?"

"I never said it's polygamy." Bruce argued. "I just said she had five husbands."

Diana laughed, shaking her head and shoulders rolled back. "You never want to lose an argument, do you Bruce."

Bruce fought back another groan as his eyes sought after how Diana's lips pouted in anger. Her bouncy assets arrested his attention, fueling the perverse pleasure of his inner playboy. After all, by any standards Bruce wasn't a saint.

As his mind raced toward different scenarios where he always ended up with a bedraggled Diana, Bruce understood that the fiddling kiss on dance floor didn't quench his thirst for this amazing woman, not that he hoped it would anytime.

Combination of inhibited beauty and epitome of innocence—indeed, she was a wondrous woman.

"It's not what you're thinking, Princess." Bruce refrained his thoughts to himself. Although he still couldn't decide which Diana he loved more: the innocent Diana or the brat princess. Or perhaps he was just being a "princess-manic".

"I think I can help you both." Someone interrupted the swiftly rising argument.

Bruce glanced at the savior of their talks. There, dressed in a navy blue salwar suit, a scarf modestly covering thick mane hairs, stood an Indian woman. The same one, which had once helped them in sneaking against the Thanagarian hawks.

"Sorry, I couldn't help myself after listening your talks," she said with apologetic smile.

"Yes, we do a lot of talks in different topics." Bruce smiled. "Don't we, Diana."

"Yes, a lot of talks," Diana answered with her own jabbing elbow and introduced herself and him. "Diana Prince and Bruce Kane."

"Nice to meet both of you," The other woman shook hands, "Jasmine Kaur."

"Sorry about my loose mouth boyfriend, he thinks that woman in painting had five husbands."

Bruce gave his bat glare at Diana's remark, which surprisingly—or not so surprisingly—didn't affect on Diana. _She's getting immune_.

"Actually your loose mouth friend is right," Indian woman replied as Bruce coughed, hiding his amusement at Diana's glare coming back to him.

"Draupadi and Pandavas marriage is one of its own types of marriage in Indian theocracy," Jasmine confirmed. "So in actual, it's not polygamy. You see—"

_Beep… Beep… Beep_.

A series of beeps interrupted them as Bruce fished out his pager. "Sorry, I have to take this."

"Leaving your date on this beautiful evening," Jasmine, the Indian owner, admonished a disapproving look.

"I…"

"He does _that_ a lot." Diana added with her frown. After all, she'd made it clear to him that he wouldn't access his night routine duty on their date.

"I'll be back in 5 minutes, don't worry," Bruce pleaded, furtively glancing at the pager, making it obvious that it was non-negotiable call. He needed just few minutes for this work. After a quick promise that he'd return in five minutes, Bruce disappeared in the teeming crowd of restaurant.

**0o0o0o**

Making the beeline for secured rooms that announced in bold letters—ONLY FOR STAFF PERSONNEL—and implementing his second operation for the night, took only half a minute for Bruce.

Of course, it was easy, because the Wayne Tech had supplied surveillance network for Tandoor restaurant. And unrestricted access to Bruce Wayne was part of their protocol.

In real, when Bruce first thought of financing the Tandoor restaurant for merger into Wayne Hotel chains, he had a perfect vision for his undercover surveillance base. A minor one though.

Reason was simple—the tactical position of restaurant couldn't be better. It was located on the borders of Gotham skyscrapers' business area and infamous narrows, which were extremely notorious for its high crime rate.

In a lucrative investment, Bruce succeeded two things: first, a good restaurant that happens to serve good food and second, an exceptional covert base for his low profile Batman's venture.

"You there, _B_." A voice pinged in his comm link as Bruce slid in dimly illuminated maintenance room.

The Room was designed by his tech-mentor Lucius Fox into the security department of restaurant to keep it out of prying eyes. _Note to self: Give thanks to Lucius._

"I'm here," Bruce answered as his fingers danced on keyboard, hacking into live feed of restaurant cameras. After few seconds of searching, he tracked the person through a face recognition program. The target was already in place.

"_B_, Mayor Drake slid in the executive lounge." Oracle aka Barbara Gordon informed him.

"I got them. Linking the feed into your channel." Bruce tapped last command into computer and via a secured satellite link, the info sent to his protégé. "Can you track audio?"

"Nope, too much interference," Barbara responded, "I think something fishy is going on here."

"That's obvious," Bruce remarked sarcastically. He watched how Mayor Drake and "Target" greeted each other by handshake, and joined in the lounge.

The target was a renowned Russian industrialist and a crime lord in part-time currently visiting Gotham city for business investment. But Bruce knew well, no one comes in Gotham without a second purpose.

"It's not just a corruption deal, _B_." Oracle pointed out, now watching the live feed herself. "Something else also going on."

"I know," Bruce sniped on the two men.

"How's your secret-dating going?" Barbara asked with sly smugness in her voice.

"Keep your focus." Bruce recited, watching the time with glancing eyes. 2 minutes and 23 seconds passed. He had to wrap up this work in five minutes. Otherwise, Diana would surely suspect something. Then, he'd be in trouble.

"They're transmitting some kind of encrypted data, _B_." Oracle announced as the men sitting in lounge tapped buttons on their handheld devices. Surely, Oracle must have detected the data stream through the data catcher bugs Batman had installed in the lounge, just the preceding night.

"Can you break it up?" Bruce asked pulling up another window on monitor screen, fingers scrolled over the highly encrypted data packs.

If someone is curious enough with right tools in hands, everything is susceptible to snoopy minds. Bruce had learned the formula—hard way— besides, prevention was always better than cure.

In fact, there _was_ no cure for exposing his secret identity of elusive Batman.

"It's good encryption, very good." Bruce could imagine Oracle's smile, sitting in front of her computer, eyes boring into screen and fingers stabbing in the keyboard.

"Got it!" she announced happily then. "Uh...ugh. _B_?"

"I can read it." Bruce clipped back reading the deciphered code. It said: BIG ARMS.

**0o0o0o**

**(Somewhere else at same time)**

_Wham!_

A figure popped into existence from thin stale air of Gotham alley, startling some stray dogs and narrowly missing bumping into overflowing dump-bin. A homeless cat protested with a small meow for disruption in her sleep.

"Sod off!" Athena growled at poor animal, barely controlling her nerves to lash something. Or someone. But before she could pick herself from her position, in queue, another figure dropped from air and sprawled over the Wisdom Goddess, sending her back flatly to cobbled street.

"Great Zeus!"

"Aww!" Sappho shrieked lying flat. "Thanks for making my landing soft, Atty. I could've gotten bruises by your surprise."

"Get off me, Aphrodite before I slam you back!" Athena shouted in not-so-hidden-anger.

She dusted off the slime from her chiton and pushed herself on her feet. She _almost_ thought of strangling the swan goddess in that abandoned alley. She could bet Queen Hera would be beside her on _that _decision. "This is your entire fault!"

"My fault?"

"Don't act innocent!" Athena snapped, shooting daggers with her furious eyes. If only she had a handy spear at that moment, Aphrodite would be as good as dead. "It's your handiwork that disrupted my spell teleportation, and we landed so… indignantly in this slimy alley."

"Oh, for Mother Gaea's sake, Atty, stop making poor excuses," Sappho said, scanning her surrounding for first time. "Ewe, why's there so much garbage here?"

"Because that's your welcome party, Sappho," Athena answered with a healthy dose of sarcasm. "They must have thrown a party at love goddess's arrival in mortal's world. See, there's your host." She pointed at the curious dogs sniffing around for food in the rotting waste.

"Mean, Atty! Very Mean." Sappho glared for few moments then relaxing back to her typical manner. Fingering off the invisible creases on her chiton, she grinned. "Nevertheless at least we should give them return gifts, Atty!"

Athena shook her head as she watched Aphrodite waving her hand to cast a spell. _She never misses a chance at flaunting. Never._

Yet instead of flowery bed wrapping up the alley—nothing happened this time. Athena knew it was "flowery bed spell" because she had watched that spell too many times from love goddess. Even sometimes, she suspected Sappho remembered only those few spells.

"Oops." Athena muttered under breath, controlling the bout of laughter prickling her stomach as repeatedly Sappho tried her spell. "Is something wrong?"

"It's not working!" Sappho cried as Athena smiled ruefully.

"Forgot something?"

"No!" Sappho squawked, throwing up her hands. "My spells are not working, Atty!"

"C'mon, Sappho, we don't have time for these childish activities." Athena remarked, pivoting toward the nearby main road. Her mission was her priority, not Sappho's lousy memory.

"I want to get over with this before someone suspect our absence in Olympus."

"But, Atty! My spells are not—"

"Shhh," Athena shushed her not so willing partner-in-crime, and both Olympian Pantheons trotted off toward the modern barbarian civilization, called as Man's world Metro City: Gotham.

**0o0o0o**

**(Back in Tandoor restaurant)**

"Is what I think it is, _B_?" Oracle asked over the comm as Bruce's jaws clenched together in a nut-grinding snarl.

"They're smuggling heavy arms in Gotham."

"Yup, that explains how Two face's goons launched a bazooka on Robin the other night, like they were some toys to play with." Oracle spoke up, maintaining a neutral voice and attempting to break through the rest of encrypted code. "Uh…huh."

"What?" Bruce frowned.

"Our target just transferred a hefty sum of money to a Swiss back account, _B_."

"Mayor's account?" Bruce asked as the meeting in executive lounge terminated with Mayor Drake parted away with a last handshake. The shark-smiles on his face said all—their meeting was successful.

Although Batman had reputation of not mingling in Gotham's politics, especially after what happened with former attorney Harvey Dent, he couldn't stop himself in this case.

Mayor Samuel André Drake.

Drake had risen silently—a nigh impossible job—in the gallery of Gotham's politics with cunning diplomatic skills that Bruce had to admit the current Mayor was capable man in diplomacy and ruthlessness. However, as Oracle dug deeper in the past of Drake, it revealed more.

Something that Bruce could not ignore. Something that could harm his city or perhaps could be a boon as well. Only time could tell.

"Most probably," Oracle replied, squinting at Swiss Bank account number. "But until we try cracking into Swiss banks database we cannot confirm that."

"We'll deal with that part later." Bruce steepled his fingers under chin as his "Target" ate his last bout of food and started walking out. "Put Robin on track of Russian mafia, but don't engage. I want to know everything about him first."

"Okay Boss." Oracle chimed back. "By the way, your leeway time of excusing yourself from your date is way over."

Bruce cursed under breaths, watching how much time he had spent in the covert op. Past seven minutes. _Diana is going to be royally pissed off._

"Keep me updated of any news, but don't disturb."

"Vow boss, will do that, _B_. By the way, you never told which bimbo you took this evening?"

"Not your business," Bruce cut off any further comm talks, not wanting to entertain unnecessary audiences. "_B_, out."

**0o0o0o**

**A/n:** And I'm in. Surprised, don't be!

Ok, finally I'm back to writing after struggling with my crashed lappy (Yup!) I got a new one now. Therefore, updates will not be pushed like this one by months. Hey, MERRY CHRISTMAS to all frnds. Enjoy!

Until then. Keep reading.


	6. Chapter 6

**0o0o0o**

"Love is like war: easy to begin but very hard to stop."- H. L. Mencken

**0o0o0o**

**Chapter - 6(Multitasking)**

"What we've gotten here, buddy? Some fancy babes are trespassing in our neighborhood."

Jumping out of shadow, a hideous looking crook with an aquiline nose twitching, taunted the two women. Advertising their broken teeth in smug smiles and crowbars in hands, his buddies ranged in all shapes and sizes.

"Men," Athena muttered.

It was less than one and a half hours since she and Aphrodite had fallen in the gloomy city. Wisdom goddess was still struggling to unblock her teleporting spell when these pests came out of the woodwork.

"If you don't mess with us right now," Athena threatened, "then I might let you live. Or I'll make sure that you pay for this, even in Tartarus."

"Boohoo!" The crook's leader, tapping a baseball bat at another palm, laughed with accompanying cackles of his group. "We really got scared, GIRLY!"

"Atty, they're not taking you seriously." Sappho remarked as she picked up the gaze of those unruly men.

"Thanks for your intellectual info, Sappho," Athena answered, biting back another retort. She didn't know which fool was irritating her more—the one who was standing in front of her. Or the one beside her. "Why don't you try something?"

"Me!" Love goddess' eyes widened at the proposal. "No! I don't deal with these types of incorrigible scums."

"Thought so," Athena mumbled. Her gray eyes calculated the goons. Most of them bore crude and inefficient weapons like their faces.

She seriously doubted they could even use them correctly. Yet, the number superiority was in their favor, not as if they knew how to use it. In fair assessment, she could nail them in less than fraction of second. But it would be waste of that second.

"Give me those gold jewelry, chick. Quick!" the goon's leader prompted, closing the gap between them. The goons circling around the two Olympian pantheons dished out their crocodiles-smiles in fake sympathy.

"Atty!" Sappho glanced at her partner. "C'mon, do something!"

"Why should I?" Athena shrugged noncommittally, eyes keeping the track of goons' movement. "What have I warned you about garbing yourself in gold, Sappho. It always attracts attention. Sometimes good—" Athena's gaze flicked through thugs, "—sometimes bad."

"Atty, this is not time of your knowledge lessons!" Sappho blurted out.

"Stop bitching, you two!" the goon's leader shouted. A pistol gleamed in his one hand, barrel pointed at both goddesses as his aim jerked hither and thither.

"Listen pal," Athena leaned against the approaching thug while Sappho spat out a series of colorful Greek curses. "You're messing wrong people. When I hit you, you'll regret the day you born. Understood?"

All goons reeled back in their steps. But with a hollering cry, the leader lunged with his pistol aiming directly at craft goddess.

_Bang!_

First bullet rang like a supersonic boom, shredding the silence of alley.

Athena ducked the sailing iron-armament easily, sidestepped, and focused on the grinning, but mad leader. Before the thug figure out what was happening next, craft goddess had already crossed the gap in blazing reflexes. She crunched his wrist to paste as his hand limped and pistol clattered on the street.

However, Athena was far from done.

Not missing the beat, she twisted the other free arm of goon, pinned behind his back in an agonizing move, and then banged her knee straight to his crotch as the goon's leader doubled over in ungodly pain. "My ballllsss!"

"Jeez, Atty." Sappho looked alarmed. "You killed the poor man!"

"Anyone else wants to try?" Athena craned her head to see the goons stood paralyzed in their tracks. "Anyone?"

"FREAKS!" other goons hollered, running away from the scene. "More freaks in the god forsaken city!"

**0o0o0o**

"Was that really needed, Atty?" Sappho asked. She peered a last time for the alley where the goon was groaning in pain. _Poor man might never have children_; love goddess gloomed with the thought.

Beside her, Athena flexed her shoulders, somewhat enjoying the freedom of being out of Olympus. "I remember you were the one who was shouting at me to do something."

"I never said that you've to push that hard, Atty." Sappho protested, her jaw sagged slightly.

"Hah, whatever." Athena blew out her breath in exasperation. She never grasped how she could handle those goons without few punches, not as if they were diplomatic either. Plus, punching and crunching something with her bare hands. _Yes, this really, really feels good._

"You look happy with the incident." Sappho noted the elation. The scintillating grin on Athena's face was hard to miss.

"I think I've missed this." Athena essayed another smile.

"You mean, being in here on the Gaea?" Sappho voice echoed happily.

"Of course not," Athena gave a bewildered stare to Sappho. "I just love punching some men with my bare hands. That's all."

This time love goddess was horrified. "Mother Gaea, Atty! You're a sadist!"

Athena gave a feral grin at the gibe, stating her palms flat in a surrender gesture. "Oh, you've discovered my secret, Sappho! What am I going to do?"

Sappho glared helplessly at warrior goddess.

"That's our car," Athena spoke up and gave the high sign toward the metallic carriage standing across the road. "We're going in that, since you recklessly blocked out our teleporting spell."

"Where?" Sappho barely asked, before running after Athena.

She watched some mortals observing them as if they were some lunatics. She shrugged _that_. Naturally, they had never seen a living goddess among them; especially not someone like her.

"C'mon, Sappho, I don't have all night for this!" A loud voice broke Aphrodite's reverie as she finally joined Athena beside the metallic carriage.

Standing near it, Sappho realized how elegant and beautiful the metallic carriage was. Its surface was shiny gray in darkened night. The cool, smooth enamel covering everything, gave a blending beauty of its presence. In Sappho's eyes, it was simply gorgeous.

"You never told me, Atty, that you've metallic carriage in Patriarch World," Sappho said with wonder as she sat on comfortable seats and hooked up her seat belt.

Like outside of carriage, inside wasn't shiny or decorated, which disappointed Sappho greatly.

Then again, she knew Athena wasn't much a person of decorating her living space or carriage. Warrior goddess was famous for her Spartan living attitude. When this pursuit would be over, she'd teach some good work to Atty, Sappho determined.

The gray-black Mustang growled at life as Wisdom goddess revved up the engine. Sappho grinned at the thrilling sensation.

Even pleasure goddess had been a devotional watcher of these metallic inventions of Man's world. And thanks to her ex-husband Hephaestus, the smith God, the Mount Olympus now had its own television network named—MOANS.

In secret, Sappho was planning an extra channel for _special audiences_, when Atty interrupted everything. _Always the interrupter of good things,_Sappho cursed_._

"Hey! Those bitches are stealing my car!"

Sappho's head whipped toward the voice. A man was shouting and running toward them, hands flailing in help gesture as if it were the judgment day. "Why's that man shouting at us, Atty?"

"There are lots of men shouting around here, Aphrodite," Athena stated as she thrusted the car into road. "Which one are you talking about?"

Some pedestrians revolted against Athena's honking, but no one dared to cross the path of metallic beast. As much as she hated the men, Athena had to praise the car designed by them. It was thrilling to drive it, in sort of a crude way_._

"That one, Atty."

"He must be asking for his car," Athena responded.

Her hands maneuvered the car expertly on the road. As she throttled the acceleration, the Mustang lurched into action like a silent, dark beast awakening after the call of its mistress. _A true mistress._

"Vooo!" Sappho shrilled in surprise, but her curiosity yet prevailed. "But why he's shouting at us, Atty?"

"Because this is his car, Sappho."

"WHAT!" Sappho croaked like a frog at first rains, staring agape. "We're sitting in his carriage!"

"Yea," Athena replied coolly. "And for Zeus' sake, Sappho, this is a CAR. Not a carriage."

"Mother Gaea, Atty!" Sappho yelled at the top her lungs, twisting in her seat. She struggled against the acceleration and seat belt. "We stole his carriage! We are sitting in someone else carriage! ATTY!"

Athena drew back the lips, teeth in fierce smile at love goddess' shock. "Don't worry, Sappho. GCPD will take a long while to even track our positions."

"GCPD?"

"Gotham City Police Department, the law enforcer of this city."

"Mother Gaea!" Sappho swore, totally mortified. "We're criminals in this city!"

"Just thieves," Athena offered a belligerent smile, amusement electrifying her gray eyes. "Hermes will bless us!"

"Oh, Mother Gaea, save me!" Sappho prayed for umpteenth time as the gray-black Mustang tore through the road to its journey.

**0o0o0o**

**(Somewhere else)**

"Bruce, I…"

"Diana, it's fine."

"No, Bruce. It's not fine." Diana pursed her lips. Aquamarine eyes fluttered open and then shut for long moments, eyelids weighed with a weight that made her lips to struggle with words. "I mean, we've arranged this date after so many efforts and—"

"Diana." Bruce broke in, voice flat without emotions. "It happens. Emergency comes. Duty calls. You didn't even know if they call you suddenly back to the embassy at this time."

"I guess." Diana nodded; her shoulders sagged as she leaned back. Her thoughts wandered again.

After so many personal—and some global—trials, she'd scored the date with him. She knew all. Her schedule was busy with next week. Too many meetings, a score of tours lined up with various delegations around the globe and some more JL duties with new members.

"We'll reschedule sometime at Manor, Princess." Bruce said, suddenly smiling lopsidedly. "Alfred wants to show you some new dishes."

Diana shook her head. Bruce talks did nothing to her troubled mind; even the cold wind bruising against her forehead didn't ease her worries. She zoned out, thinking about the trouble that interrupted their evening.

_What could be that important at this time in embassy?_Last time she had checked, her next important meetings could wait for at least tomorrow. _Why cannot world wait for few more moments?_

Answers to these questions were nothing, but more puzzles. Perhaps, it was just her own fate conspiring with her.

"I'm sure Alfred wants to swap some hair-raising tales with you, Princess."

"Bruce!" Diana ducked her head at his poor attempted humor and snapped, seriously. "Your jokes rot, Bruce!"

"Really?" Bruce made a pro forma smile in his dumb playboy style, not affected by her snap. "Then my bad. I thought girls smiled at them."

"Bruce!"

"Don't go sulky on me, Princess." Bruce expression shifted immediately. "It doesn't suit you."

"Then?" Diana inquired as she saw Bruce talking instead of her. It was another small victory for her when his non-talking and non-brooding mood lifted off.

Generally, his speeches were just briefings in founders meetings, where the World's Greatest Detective rasped out the routine reports of interesting events. Though, Diana had her hunch that a handful of important news filtered out by him, on purpose.

"Other than sulking, you can do whatever you want."

"Really?" Diana asked, leaning closer. She could feel the warmth of his body oozing through her dress. Regardless of time spent together, his cologne still badly affected her. "Anything, Bruce?"

Bruce arched a brow, concealing any stray emotions she could detect. "Anything, until it's safe—"

Words ripped apart in a wet, sloshing "mmphf" as Diana's lips clashed to his. Her hands grappled with his shirt, sensing and enjoying the spasmodic up-and-down of his heartbeat through roughened fabrics of suit.

As her own heartbeat galloped like a wild mare in grassland, with the cool breeze outside tempering everything from hot to cold, like the steel cooling and heating in the fire of smelter, Diana crushed those boundaries that he had erected around him.

_No limits, Bruce_—she mulled evilly.

His lips resisted deliciously against her rosy lips, savoring the spice of his breath. And as the aftertaste of red wine in her prodding tongue hit Bruce's lips, he yielded under her assault, welcoming the invader. His guttural moans satiated her desire, but not enough to give up so early.

Diana wasn't satisfied. She pushed—hard. And the reply came back in fury.

"Mmm." She moaned, gasping for short breaths as Bruce's hand fisted in the tangle of her ravens, smashing her body closer of him, and sealing her lips. Their tongues dueled in a supremacy over the kiss while Diana's fingers ripped open few more shirt buttons into fray.

She could smell the mix of tension, arousal, and love in his breaths, even if he denied all of them. Just like she discerned that somehow he was still driving the car. Ever the multitasker.

Her mind reflected on new conspiring ideas, as Diana gave a mischievous grin.

"Mmphf…" Bruce groaned vocally and synchronized his driving. He was tempted to stop the car, when the announcement came in.

"That's the small payback for all surprises, Mr. Kane," Diana reminded, leaning away and retreating her lips with a faint but wet brushing. "If you stop the car, this session will end here."

For a man who didn't get surprised easily, Bruce judged, he was hiding his surprise better. Because in next moves, Diana had flexed her long toned legs—very long in Bruce's observation—across his seat, straddling him, and obscuring his driving view.

"Diana, what are you doing?"

"Sitting in the car, Bruce." Her answer was innocent along with the innocuous smile. Her aqua eyes glistened with the roll of her seductive hips, which forced Bruce to clamp down his jaws.

"Princess, I cannot even see the road. How am I supposed to drive?" he asked, trying to be threatening. Instead, his voice was more of a husky from the heavenly view of bosom, which was practically jiggling in front of his eyes.

"But you're driving, Bruce." Again, the same innocent smile.

With her hips slowly grinding against him, Bruce moaned and groaned, of course, internally without any indication to his princess. If he wasn't driving the car, Bruce might have adored the triumph grin on Diana's face too.

But Batman had a lot of blind driving experience in Bat mobile. Even if he had never driven a car with a voluptuous Amazon sitting in his lap, Bruce was determined to prove himself. Despite everything, it was just a difficult task. Certainly not impossible.

No, the toughest part was the dress. Diana's dress.

Combined with his accelerated heartbeat and the Zen meditation Bruce was using to calm down his arousing bubbles, he observed that her dress was way too short to be called a knee-length dress.

At every turn the BMW made, her dress rode higher and higher, exposing a perfect olive suntanned flesh and Bruce recognized he was in trouble. In his mind, the furious war waging between his playboy alter ego and the sensible good Wayne was in its last phase.

"Diana, this is not working!" Bruce tried a menacing warning to the mounted princess who was enjoying him as if she was sitting in a cozy fun-ride of amusement park. "This is hazardous way of driving."

"Still collecting facts, my detective," Her voice purred closer to his ear but not touching, just teasing him forward. But Bruce ignored the bait, trying his best at driving.

"I'm stating my observations, Princess." Bruce argued, putting some distance between his flushed face and the jiggling bosom in front of him.

"Hmm." Diana hummed for few seconds, rosy lips rippling with smile. She pushed her pinky finger on his lips. "Do I hear complains from the Great Batman who can do everything?"

"Princess!"

"You're not enjoying our journey, Bruce. For all your surprises this evening, I'm returning just a small favor. Besides, I've heard that the Batman is good at multitasking."

"Multitasking is banality for me," Bruce retorted. "So?"

"So," Diana leaned. Her breath ragged, evoking a promising daydream for Bruce. She asked, "You said I can do anything?"

"When it's safe to—"

"This is perfectly safe, Bruce." Diana grounded her argument with sudden shift in her hips grating moves as Bruce squirmed in the seat, jaws clenched furiously and suppressed any type vocal output.

"Diana, this is not safe."

"Hmm." Diana hummed again. Bruce sensed the closeness of her body almost burning against him; her lingering smell was blocking any other scents, when he paddled the brake at last minute.

And the BMW halted at stop. "We're here, Princess."

"Where?" Diana asked, puzzling at why the car unexpectedly stopped. She was relishing this torment of her beau as her plan was going smoothly.

"Your home, Princess." Bruce smiled crookedly, finally relaxed. His palms flattened against Diana's back as she craned her head from one side to another.

"How did we reach here so fast?" Diana demanded, amazed as her _surprise_ was spoiled. "I thought it took one hour from Gotham to here."

"Shortcut," Bruce clipped. "Batman's special."

**0o0o0o**

"You wasted my surprise in middle, Bruce." Diana objected, still sitting in his lap. Bruce eased up in seat, painting another idiotic smile on his face. _She looked even more beautiful in anger._

"Sorry, Princess," Bruce said without a hint of remorse. "I'm not fond of driving in this position. And I've no plans to make my afterlife journey that soon either."

"So," The gleam in her eyes evoked too many dreamy scenes for Bruce playboy alter ego, who was literally bouncing around in his mind. "We've got few minutes earlier than we planned. Don't we, Bruce?"

"Yes," Bruce replied cautiously.

_Keep the lid on your dreams, Bruce_—he chastised to himself. His mind was crayoning too many scenes—like a child left in a room with lots of crayons and a perfect white wall.

"Then," Diana closed the small distance.

"I thought you never want to get late on your meetings, Princess."

"Ah, my meeting." Diana pulled back, as swiftly as she had leaned, and climbed out with her flying ability. "You're distracting me, Bruce."

"Right," Bruce grunted, feeling like an idiot who himself knocked out his golden chance. "Good to know, I'm good at something."

Climbing out of the car, Bruce eyes inevitably ran over his date.

Her ruffled black ravens, the snugly black dress slightly crumpled here and there. She looked so viable option to him. She was _the woman_.

The woman he'd searched for his whole life. How easy it looked now. Only if he could go on his knee and pop up the question that would seal their lives together—Bruce and Diana. Together and forever.

_Silly._

But he knew how _silly_ that dream was. Even in fantasy, he didn't deserve her—he absorbed _that __fact_ a long time ago.

He was only a lowly life man with lots of coins and nothing else. Even if she wore a simple dress with only her bracelets, she was still the Wonder Woman: the paragon of virtue, the epitome of love, the heart of Justice League.

How could he be that selfish to want her for only himself? No. It wasn't the style of Gotham's protector. Neither the son of Martha and Thomas Wayne could sleep with that idea.

To contrary, she was an unattainable conquest. Forever and ever.

"Bruce, you're brooding again," Diana stared at Bruce while he drove away his cobwebs.

"No. I'm thinking there is little surprise left in our evening," Bruce said, approaching her, eyes scanning her from toes to head. "Ready?"

Her brows furrowed, but in challenge. "I thought your surprises ended long ago, Bruce."

"Not yet, Princess. But for this, you've to close your eyes."

Diana gave a crook smile. "Another man's world custom for date-evenings?"

"You can say that." Bruce kept his expression neutral. "And since we're acting as "Normal couple", we need to do this."

"Okay, I'm ready then," Diana replied, closing her eyes. "But—"

"No more questions, Princess." Bruce used his stern voice as he admired the woman-standing front of him like a Greek statue of some goddess.

Tall, lean, but somehow still willowy; how her mother did mold such beauty with clay, Bruce couldn't comprehend.

"WH…Bruce, what are you doing?" Diana asked as she felt herself airborne, but in a warm envelope of strong arms.

"Taking you to your home," Bruce replied, carrying her bridal style. "Thought, you'd like this custom."

"Not one percent, Mr. Kane." Diana rejected, opening her eyes, peering at him. Although she sensed homely in his arms, she didn't have any plans to tell him. "This is just another custom in which men show off their grandeur to their brides, nothing else."

"Well, I'm glad you've such open view on this," Bruce paused for some effects, "because you're kind of heavy also, Princess."

"WHAT?"

"The door, Diana." Bruce deftly switched the topics as he finally reached the door of her embassy apartment. "Will you open the door for me?"

"Don't change the topic, Bruce," Diana snapped while Bruce held her bridal style. "I'm heavy!"

"The key to the door, Princess." Bruce overlooked the whining princess in her arms. "You've the keys?"

"Bruce, you called me heavy."

"Did I?" Bruce asked, clueless as ever. "When?"

"Just now, Bruce!"

"Slip of tongue, Diana." Bruce answered amiably as he contemplated of unlocking her door. Would she mind if he cracked open the lock? She could easily afford a new lock system.

"Slip of tongue with my boots! Bruce Wayne, I'll—"

Diana's curse cut off as the apartment's door swung open from inside and a known voice called. "My sun and stars, you're home!"

As Diana's aqua eyes widened in surprise, more surprised than Bruce had ever seen, he tore his gaze away from princess in his arms and looked up. His own face _almost_ contorted in same gesture.

He needed his contingency plan. Because in front of him stood the Queen of Themyscira herself, the Royal Highness Hippolyta.

**0o0o0o**

**A/n:** As always, feedback is graciously accepted. Until then. Keep reading.


	7. Chapter 7

**0o0o0o**

"Stolen kisses are always sweetest." ― Leigh Hunt.

**0o0o0o**

**Chapter 7(Corporate Boyfriend)**

Deep down Diana knew _the silence_ chewed at her heart like a termite eats an unseasoned wood.

Maybe it was her social genes. Or maybe because when someone like her grew up on an island where personal privacy was nothing but just a word in dictionary, Diana was used to be surrounded by other souls.

To hear the rasp of breathing, to feel the nearby thudding hearts, and to sense the smile of warm faces—they all acted as a potent sleeping drug for Amazon Princess in those restless nights, when she dreamed of her adventures.

Even after she came to Man's world, Diana never felt vandalized by loneliness.

She had anticipated it. An amazon who was taught of melancholy filled man's world, what else could she expect? But what she found was rather surprising: friends, teammates, and comrades in arms, who not only shared her passion for justice, but unlike her old Amazonian belief some of them were men as well.

Honest men—such a word still had the odd ring to her ears.

Friends, teammates, and now a lover. So much, she had achieved here. And yet again, the tornado of isolation menaced over Themysciran savioress as she stood beside Bruce.

She rummaged her mind from up to down, to come up with a good excuse. Something that would not only diffuse the alarm in her mother's sense, but would also dispel any lurking doubts that her only child, her precious daughter—her sun and stars—was dating a mortal man, who just happened to be a cave-dwelling hero. And not to forget he dresses up like a rodent for his costume.

Nonetheless, like everything, even her blessed mind rebelled to cooperate with her needs. Good thing, her beau at least berthed his nonchalance attitude.

Cool, detached, and heroic—Diana tallied the checklist as her eyes flicked over him. Always so calm.

Besides many martial arts, the art of impassiveness was one of the bat-arts that she always wanted to learn from him. At least then, she could beat Wally and Shay on Saturday's poker night. Already, she had lost way too many games. And one thing that was mulishly common to her and Bruce was—they both hated losing. Whether it was a game or a fight.

"Diana?" Her mother's voice flamed away further thoughts as Diana gazed at her queen.

"Mother, it's not what you're thinking," Diana said. Fingers curled in fists, mouth moved to say more, but words—they just swam out of her grasp. "I…"

"Your highness, Hippolyta! It's you!"

Instead, Bruce took steps forward, almost shouting. He took her mother's hand, bowed curtly, and kissed chastely before greeting. "I feel honored to meet the Immortal matriarch of Themyscira. Diana talks a lot about you, your highness!"

Hippolyta's gaze paused. "And you're?"

"Wayne"—He wore a playful smile that Diana knew belong to—"Bruce Wayne. You must've heard of me."

"Not exactly," Hippolyta dismissed. Eyes filled with question rested on Diana, who fidgeted with answers.

"Oh," Bruce said. He shrugged off his coat, scratched at his French beard, and peeled off the fake accessory. "Maybe because of this, it was a small disguise so Diana and I could freely go out. You never know these hounding reporters."

Hippolyta fixed a look at Diana. "Should I ask why?"

"Mother…" Diana tried before Bruce butted in.

"Diana and I were just discussing some upcoming charity events." He continued, slouching and smiling in his full playboy character. "Please. Your highness, if you're not too busy, I've something that needs your attention!"

Hippolyta gaze canted to Diana, questions hung by thread of suspicion.

_Stop playing around, Bruce!_ Diana scolded mentally, wishing she had some Jonn's telepathic powers.

"Diana, would you bring us some coffee?" Bruce Wayne's peppy voice broke Diana's haze. "Please," he added.

As Diana pushed her eyes to him, matching and holding his attention for few iotas, she tried to make out what exactly he was playing at. Of course, he ignored her call. _Damn Bat-head!_

"I'll bring iced machos," she said, knowing her mother's eyes tracked her movements.

"Thank you, Diana." Bruce winked with a smile and turned back to her mother. "Your highness, I'll take this blunt way…"

At last, Diana turned toward her kitchen, praying to her deities for well being of her brand new boyfriend.

**0o0o0o**

**(Back in Gotham City)**

"CAR, Atty, CAR!" Sappho shouted.

Eyes wide, face drained of any rosy smiles, Sappho clawed at her seat belt like a pike man held onto his pike against the approaching enemy cavalry.

"There is a car in front you, Atty! CAR!"

"I can see it." Athena said.

As the mustang sped up, skirted around the night traffic, and overtook another car, Wisdom goddess gripped the steering wheel in her hands. All while, the mustang zigzagged lanes after lanes and weaved through the Gotham road as if a water snake swims in ocean.

Conversely, because of all zigzagging and humping-bumping of suspension system, Sappho was lurching inside the mustang like a pin-pong ball. Obviously, Athena ignored her discomfort. Which just further fueled the constant nonstop chatters of love goddess.

This all mess was starting to grate on Athena's nerve. Still, she ignored. Or tried her best to ignore. Because, again, that was just first part of their problem list. Other problems were more peachy to say the least.

Like: the GCPD.

"Atty, you said there would be no Police!" Sappho exclaimed.

Shouting like a madwoman, Sappho was stuck in her seat. And the seat belt was constantly digging on her ample bosom, which just flamed the Sappho's ire. She was ready to snap the seat belt to pieces, when Athena drove the car with murderous speed around another road curve.

"Mother Gaea, Atty! Drive slowly!"

"I can hear you fine, Aphrodite, stop shouting." Athena snapped. Her fingers almost broke the steering wheel with her inhuman force. "And I can't slow down until our humbling friends keep chasing us."

On the cue, Athena checked a glance at the rear.

There, three GCPD police cruisers were dogging them across the road with their flashing blue-red lights. Damn, she thought. GCPD was supposed to be an incompetent bunch of lazy bums.

However, what Athena didn't know was since every super-criminal of Gotham was locked behind Blackgate Jail. Or receiving meds in Arkham Asylum, the GCPD had gone more vigilant with smaller crimes.

"LOOK OUT!" Sappho shrilled.

SCREECH!

As their mustang scratched along another car, denting the paint-job, Athena pulled the mustang on the right track before any serious damage.

Mother Gaea, Sappho swore, she'd never sit in any carriage with Athena. Never ever.

"Come on, Aphrodite, open up the drawer."

"What?"

"Do it now, Sappho!"

How Athena wished she could throw some of her magic tricks right now. But she knew that would only expose her, and currently stealth was the way for this mission. Besides, handling these mortals was hardly a job for her worthy magic. She'd do it her way—the old way.

"Huh," Sappho frowned as she pulled out something from the drawer. "Is it what I'm thinking it is, Atty?"

Athena looked at the firearm in hands of love goddess. "Yeah."

"Umm, what was it doing in the drawer?"

Athena shrugged. "Don't care. Now shoot."

"Excuse me?" Sappho said as her brow crinkled with a bemused smile.

"Shoot at the car, Sappho."

"You're joking, right." Smiling, Sappho shook her head. "Give up, Atty. You don't have a sense of humor."

"I'm not joking, Aphrodite," Athena glared as gray eyes blazed in frustration. "Shoot at the car."

Silence.

"Sappho?" Athena looked at her silent partner, who was cradling the gun like a baby."C'mon, Sappho, don't just sit there. Help me, shoot at the car, we need a distraction here."

Still silence.

"Sappho?"

"You want me to shoot?"

"Yeah—" Athena tried to say—BAM!—the lead GCPD cruiser bumped into their mustang, gouging a big enough dent to ruin the sleek beauty of mustang.

_Its owner is going to really cry_, Athena smirked at the thought.

"Shoot now, Sappho!"

"How?"

"What?" Athena hissed through the clenched teeth as another GCPD cruiser howled and tried to crash at them. At last moment notice, Athena swirled the steering wheel and ground the accelerator to car's floor. And the police cruiser shot past them.

BAM!

But another cruiser slammed at the mustang's side instead.

"How will I shoot?"

"C'mon, Sappho," Athena sighed, before reciting. "Look for a safety catch and if it is there, remove, and pull the trigger. Absolutely simple, Sapph—"

BAM!

"It's just like throwing pikes or fencing, Sappho, nothing special." Athena pushed her partner, while the GCPD cruisers gained more ground on the road-battle. Three against one, not fare. She _really_ needed Sappho to distract—

Bang!

The handgun in Sappho crackled louder than a common gun. And then, Athena had a real grin on her face as she watched the head GCPD cruiser first staggered to a stop and then stopped permanently, with black smoke belching out of it, and police officers running out of car.

"Brilliant, Sappho!"

"I…" Sappho tried to say.

"You're marvelous shooter, Sappho, knocked the car in just one shot," Athena smiled. "Good job."

"But, Atty…"

"No ifs and no buts. We still have a bat to catch." Athena smirked as she geared up the mustang.

For Sappho's case, she tried to tell Atty that she _never_ fired the gun.

**0o0o0o**

_Please keep him alive! Please keep him alive!_

Diana chanted those words a thousand times to every Olympian deity that she knew of as she made three cups of steaming hot chocolates for her "guests". Yet, her stomach knotted in a twist for Bruce. And as ridiculous as it felt, Diana had never experienced such turbulence of heart for anyone.

Discarding her sandals, barefooted, Diana strained her ears beyond her powers to listen any clashing of swords or meaty thumps of injuries. Lest, she'd have to jump for saving Bruce.

Nah, it wasn't that Diana didn't trust Bruce or his communicating skills to handle a few talks with her mother. But what she knew about her royal mom, other could never know. And armed with that knowledge, Diana could never muster the courage to leave her mom with any man. Okay, perhaps, Kal could handle it, but Bruce…

_Stop it, girl_—she shook her head, tackling down the negative thoughts. She was an Amazon. War or love, an Amazon never back down from troubles.

At any rate, Diana held the plate of three chocolate cups, shut and opened her aqua eyes few times, and entered into the guest room.

Aquamarine eyes parsed every decoration on the walls. _Thanks Hera!_ Her deities must have heard her prayers, Diana thought. Because as she scanned, she confirmed to herself—there was no _male_ _head_ decorating her living space.

"Mother?"

"You don't have to do all these chores, my sun and stars." Hippolyta said. Rising up, she smiled proudly as Diana passed the cup of steamy chocolate.

"This is not iced macho." Hippolyta frowned, bringing the cup closer to her eyes.

"It's hot chocolate, Mother." Diana pointed at sweet beverage. "No iced machos. I think I've run out of stock."

"Not surprised." Hippolyta remarked. But before sipping, she paused. Her eyes saw something floating in her chocolate. "What's that floating in the chocolate, Diana? Have you forgotten to filter it again?"

"Mother!" Diana turned red, remembering her first official cooking lesson with Hestia priestess.

When she was just a young lady, mind you, Diana had a great interest in doing _miscellaneous_ chores.

Like, once she had rode her pony off the cliff of Mount Apollo, thinking her pony would start flying. After all, she _really_ wanted a flying pony. Or sometimes, she spent her free time with Hestia worshippers, trying and cooking few things, just out of curiosity.

However, one day, Diana came before her mother, stomping her feet as usual, and insisted she wants to learn wine making.

To Hippolyta's defense, as a good mother she was, she tried to put good words in her daughter's ears that wine making was a delicate process handled only by best Hestia and Dionysus priestess. But naturally, Diana was too stubborn.

So, after two months of rigorous training and according to traditions of Royal Dionysus Fest, Diana served the first wine glass for her mother. And as good as her mother's memory was, Hippolyta never forget the taste of unfiltered wine.

"They're marshmallows, mother. It's custom way of serving hot chocolate."

"Marshmallows?" Hippolyta scowled. "Are they grown in marsh?". Her eyes prodded the chocolate with mistrust. "Why does someone mixes marsh herbs in this sweet beverage, Diana?"

"Mother," Diana sighed in exasperation, "they're not grown in marsh. And they're not marsh herbs either."

Hippolyta raised a brow in question, prompting Diana to continue.

"I don't know why they call them marshmallows." She shrugged, scanning the room again.

"He's outside with his small device." Hippolyta answered the silent question. When Diana attempted to clarify her meaning, her mother's hand hooted up. "We'll talk about your preference of _men companionship_ later, Diana. I'm here for other urgent work."

"Any problems, mother?" Diana asked.

Guilt settled like a stone in depth of her heart as she revised she hadn't visited her home for a long time. Busy JL schedule, loads of embassy paperwork, and a bunch of annoying villains who like to turn people into pigs, yeah, Diana had a lot on her plate lately to keep her busy. Still, somewhere in the midst of all this daily chaos, she held Bruce as a major distraction.

"Not that way urgent, my suns and stars. It's about autumn's festival. You know, we're having Hunt fest for Goddess Artemis every year by this time. You should participate too."

"Mother, you know why I cannot come." Diana sighed. She hated this part of her life. "There are too many delegations meet lined up, and I cannot reschedule them all. Themyscira reputation will be tainted if I pull back."

"Diana," Her mother nodded in an understanding. "I know. I tried to attest that fact to council. But your sisters haven't seen you in a long time, my sun and stars. Your absence put fear in the council that other sisters will get a wrong message. And after Aresia's betrayal such incident could make things…jittery."

"Mother! You told me—"

"You don't have to worry about anything, my sun and stars. Gods will take care of the doubts in our mind." Her mother said. "So, will you be coming?"

"I'm not sure, Mother."

"Well, I can help the situation if Queen Hippolyta accepts my offer."

Unannounced, Bruce Wayne entered the room with his suit hanging on one shoulder and face masked in same flappy, boyish smile that was always graced the front page of top Bachelors Magazines. "I've a repo with UN influentially people and I can do something with UN meetings."

"Offer?" Puzzled, Diana stared between Bruce and her mother. "What offer?"

"You're taking advantage of situation, Mr. Wayne." The remark of her mother spurted a smirk on her beau's face as if he was expecting the comment.

"No, your highness, I'm taking an opportunity which came to me on a silver platter." Bruce said, flicking his gaze to Diana. "Isn't it that what diplomats do? Make peace and deals at the right time."

"Mother, what's the deal?" Diana asked, finding hard of what was happening around her.

"Your friend wants me as his date on an inauguration function."

"It's a new orphanage inauguration, your highness. I asked you, since Diana's schedule for the day is packed. Isn't it, Diana?"

"It is." Diana replied, trying to remember when she told him about her schedule. _Spying Bat_. _He must have spied on my schedule notes._

"So what you think of my proposal now, your highness?" Bruce prompted. "Diana would be able to attend this festive occasion on Themyscira if you agree with my deal. I assure you."

"You sound confident to me?"

"I am," Bruce said.

Hippolyta nodded. "I'll think about it."

"Great!" Bruce clapped his hands together. "You won't regret this deal, your highness. I vow to it."

**0o0o0o**

"Your eyes were wide, Princess." Bruce said smugly as Diana scoffed his remark with her own smile.

Outside her embassy apartment, both of them stood by the BMW as Bruce prepared for his "unexpected" departure since the surprise visit of Hippolyta.

"Please. I'm just surprised Mother hasn't chopped off your head and hung it like a prized hunt on the wall, Bruce."

"What have you expected, I'm going to start fighting with your mother?" Bruce asked. His face scowled as sapphire eyes detected the doubts in Diana's face.

"Princess, I'm a born corporate."

"Really?" Diana cocked both brows in exaggerating fashion. Curvy hips canted to a side, attracting a warm gaze to them. Again, Bruce felt the same tingling sensation shooting through his stone heart, while Diana continued.

"And what does _that_ exactly mean, Mr. Corporate?"

"It means I can handle things more diplomatically than you—" Bruce slid his palm flat to her backside, exploring at Diana's impossibly tiny waist. "—or the Green Galactic officer ever can."

"Oh, really!"

"Absolutely."

"Then, would you care to enlighten me, Mr. Corporate, why the Batman is always punching criminals?" Diana challenged. She batted away Bruce's fingers, which just keep exploring on her waist.

"It saves time, Princess."

Diana stared at his answer, mouth opened and then shut as she tempted to slap her palm against her forehead. What was she expecting to ask such question from him?

"Hera! Bruce. Just to save time, you've sent _almost_ every criminal to hospital for at least two or three months!"

"Keeps streets clean too, Princess."

"Perfect!" Diana muttered in sarcasm while Bruce's fingers danced at her waist, trudging along the fine line of her rumpled dress.

"I know I'm perfect." His calm arrogance tickled a wry smile on Diana's lips as she tried to push away his fingers.

By same tokens, a corner of Diana's heart couldn't believe what she was doing with this man. Not to mention she was doing all this beneath her mother's nose, like some Man's world teenager. Regardless, the mere thought of her mother catching her and Bruce, made Diana's heart flutter more with wild thoughts.

"Bruce, don't!" she warned as her corporate beau leaned on her. "Mother is waiting for me inside!"

"Hmm. I'm waiting here too, Princess." His voice had the same peppy touch of the playboy silky voice, and his continuous transition from cool-headed Bat to fizzling lover irritated Diana to another level.

"Bruce! Stop acting like playboy. And go home!"

"Are ordering me?" he _almost_ sounded innocent.

"Yes, now go!"

"Whoa! Princess, you're not supposed to mishandle your date," Bruce gave his trademark smirk. "Even if I don't mind being mishandled by you, it's still wrong."

"I'm not mishandling you, Bruce." Diana glared.

"Who's holding me against the car then?"

When Diana looked around, she found—not so surprisingly—she was indeed in front of the BMW. And for her hands, they were indeed positioned on Bruce as if she was holding him against his will. _Hera!_ _When did I get in this position?_

"Bruce!"

"Oh, don't shout so loudly on me, Diana! At least, not in front of others."

"Wh…" Diana frowned as she followed his gaze.

Turning around, she caught her redheaded mentor—Artemis staring at them. _She must have come with mother_, Diana thought. Phillphus would never allow her mother alone anywhere.

"She is doing everything! It's not my fault!" Behind her, Bruce Wayne's meek voice spoke as the redhead Amazon kept staring at them.

Then, Diana understood the reason for Bruce sudden shift to Playboy.

Artemis nodded to her princess in greeting, glancing at the portion where Diana still held Bruce's hand, and then shuffled away without uttering any words.

"You could've told me that she's behind me." Diana said.

"If I had time, I'd have, Princess." Bruce spoke and disengaged himself. "Now, if you excuse me, I've something to catch up."

"Diana?" But before Diana could utter any words, someone called behind her and Bruce paused in his track.

Diana waited as Artemis came up to her and handed over a card. "Artemis?"

"Few black dressed men came asking for you and gave this message." Artemis answered.

Diana watched the small piece of paper, read the visiting card of a local cake shop in New York city. A cake shop? Was it a joke, the question popped instantly in Diana's mind.

"A cake shop." Diana frowned, looking at Bruce who had his bat demeanor shrouded over. He extended his hand, took the visiting card, and read with an emotionless look on his face.

"You've bought any cakes or ordered any?"

"No," Diana replied with shake of her head. "A joke?"

"Unlikely." Bruce mused as sapphire eyes scanned the backside of card. There, two W's were elegantly calligraphed in gold shine. "Black dressed men. Gave a single card. And wrote two W's in gold. No, I think they want you to take it seriously."

"And?"

"And reply, just like you always do."

Diana nodded. "I should check it myself then."

**0o0o0o**

**(Location: The cake shop)**

The black SUV stopped in front of the cake shop, which seemed just another small business in the city. But what happened next could change anyone's perspective.

Four crisply black dressed men piled out, like a bunch of corporate or Wall Street's lawyers in three-piece suits with a black briefcase in everyone's hand. Pushing through the double door, they walked inside the shop. The leader among them nodded to the receptionist, an old bearded man, who stood behind the counter like an ancient sculpture of shop.

"Open the shop." The leader said to old man. And without further greeting, they walked into the kitchen.

With a non-audible sigh, the old man grasped his walking stick, trotted at leisure, and flipped the hanging sign on the double door to open. Then, he returned to his counter and busied into his work.

Inside the kitchen, the four men stood behind a blast door that wasn't in the design of old cake shop, or so its architect believed. But it wasn't an addition for sure. The leader, a well-muscled tall man with face as stout as a punching bag, stabbed a series of five-digit codes in the nearby keypad. And the heavy door swooshed open without any noise. And they walked inside.

As usual, the room was dark. They had never seen the room in full light, ever. Except the glowing reading lamp, where she sat hunched, busy with her writing.

The leader stopped in front of the desk, two simple, metallic chairs adorned the place, but he stood and waited. The woman behind the desk kept working without any acknowledgment of his presence.

Then.

"What happened?" she asked.

"We delivered the message to Wonder Woman," the leader said, while his fellow men merged into the shadow.

"She acknowledged?" she asked again, not pausing her writing.

"Another redhead Amazon took the message on her behalf."

"Sure, she was an Amazon?"

"Yes. Tall, confident, and beautiful," the leader paused, swallowing the dryness of his throat, "has silver bracelet on her wrists identical to Wonder Woman."

"Good." The woman replied. "Depart and assume your duty. Our guest will come soon. Prepare the warm welcome for them. We don't have much time left."

"Yes, Ma'am."

**0o0o0o**

**A/n:** I know I owe an explanation for my long disappearance, but in truth life is a serious mess. Recent month, my mom has been in an accident, and between hospital and real life, writing anything was far from my mind. Moreover, my mood was totally screwed.

Yeah, well, you got the hard truth. However, now things are easier and civilized—mom is recovering well—so I'll try to write again.

And thank you for all your feedback frnds, even if I couldn't reply to everyone you all have my thanks. Especially to my guest readers, who I can't thank through pm.

Until then frnds. Keep reading.


	8. Chapter 8

**0o0o0o**

"Trust not a skittish horse, nor a great lord, when they shake their heads."—a Danish proverb.

**0o0o0o**

**Chapter 8 (Mission)**

_It's a fool errand_—his inner bat goaded in a sing-song as Batman scanned through his research.

His subject of scrutiny, the cake shop, was a modest brick-and-mortar building with a single double door for entry. No backdoor in design.

Upon entry, a simple but elegant counter ushered in the customers with cake samples on display and despite its old fashioned style, an ultra-modern kitchen bragged to cook all types of cakes according to customer's budget. And for security, a surveillance cam guarded the hallway, recording in outdated black-and-white format.

And finally, its owner: an old couple who lived alone in nearby Downtown apartment. Though, nowadays, the old man ran the shop alone since his wife was in City Hospital for kidney operation.

In short, the shop added nothing to concrete jungle of Downtown area where clubs, bars, and other modern recreational shops choked the every inch of ground, buzzing and teeming with young crowd.

_So much for research_, his inner bat grumbled.

Batman ignored the voice.

Far above anyone's view, merged in shadow, jaws shut locked in permanent scowl, and fingers snapped over the binocular, the Dark Knight garrisoned his vantage point like a medieval archer. Non-moving and non-responsive, anyone could mistake him as another night shadow.

For past half an hour, the Batman waited with the infinite patience he was known for. His observation deck, an abandoned apartment across the cake shop, gave an adequate view for him. If he removed the background noises of neighboring apartment where a couple was having sex, the place was perfect.

—_"Yes! Oh, yes! YES! Baby. Do it harder. Don't ssstoppp."—_

More like a sex marathon from noises, he corrected his vocabulary.

However, noises never bugged the Dark Knight.

Call him stoned-ear or something else. After spending nights in dripping, thatched slum huts of Manila where mosquitoes threatened to suck him dry, stealing and eating across the Kenyan markets where food Mafia had a jungle rule, and being almost cannibalized by ingenious Somalia tribe who thought a white man like Bruce would be a delicious dish—anything—rarely affected the Batman.

Yes, there were exceptions like the Amazon Princess. But they were as rare as finding life on the moon.

To be brief, she was only "piece of equipment" in known universe that could make the Caped Crusader squirm with her mere presence. _Must be something to do with her blessed magic_, his inner bat accused.

To his left side, she called. "Batman?"

As ever, Batman ignored the call and focused on the scene before him. His empty mind brooded.

_You should be in Gotham. This city is too bright for your liking._ A voice in head reminded Batman that he was still breathing in New York City.

An exact opposite twin of Gotham.

Unlike his city where everything reeked of fear, here, Batman could feel the life thrumming around him, throbbing around him, and most importantly—smiling around him. The life energy at its maximum power. And not only local people rejoiced their lives without terror of psychopaths, they weren't agitated about lurking shadows either.

Very unlike his city.

Where the stench of impending danger had made Gotham residents so natural and used to their dreadful lives that words like safety were only hollow promises. Promises which were never fulfilled. Not by their elected politicians. Not by the GCPD in whole. And certainly not by their self-appointed night guardian in his all crime fighting career.

_STOP!_

Angered with his train of thoughts, Batman's teeth mashed together, knuckles went white over the binocular, and still his honed body never reacted. Because he knew—despite every fault and every single failing, the Gotham was _his_ city. _Always_. Period.

No one could change that. Nor gods, neither demons.

For those monsters who had terrorized his city countless times knew that until Batman stood breathing and alive, in one whole piece, the Gotham city would never turn into the chaos city. It was a promise greater than his life. Greater than anything in his life, it was—

_There you are._

A shadow crawled on the roof of cake shop, splinting Batman's thought process. Must be the watchman he had expected. Batman knew. After all, someone who had gone to the length of personally dropping a message for Wonder Woman wouldn't trust a spy cam for sure. Had to be a watchman for confirmation.

Or it could be a live trap…for Diana.

_She can handle herself_, his inner bat chimed in sarcasm.

Whatever, Batman understood one fact clearly: they've poked hornet nest and they would learn soon enough that—

"Bruce."

That word shattered his attention like a swinging hammer upon a fragile glass. He turned over and glowered at his partner. The Wonder Woman.

"It's Batman." He hissed and turned back to his observation.

"I know, Batman. But if you keep ignoring me, what should…"

—_"Fucking yes, Baby! Oh, yes! YES! Do it harder. Ohhhhhhhhhhh fucking hot!"—_

Keeping his cool, Batman turned again. Whole body rigid with tension.

Towering frame, muscles wrung behind thin Kevlar—thin by Diana's standard—and teeth bared like a wild animal, mmh…Diana bit her lips. As she saw him glaring, her smile grew and communicated those emotions; which in return made the Dark Knight shift behind the mask.

"Diana," Rusty voice like grinding of iron against iron said, "We're here for a mission. So focus on _that_."

"I know." Diana nodded. Her hands rested on her waist, "But those sounds are distracting. Don't you think?"

—_Wheewawam-BAM! Wheewawam-BAM!—_

"I don't know about you. But I can't focus on mission when I keep hearing those screams."

As if in reply, Batman stared at her, blankly. Though the nefarious batglare switched on to full-horsepower, lasered at Amazon Princess, and pushed into maximum action mode, Diana kept her brows furrowed. Expecting…something...new.

When nothing happened, Batman growled before turning in. "Just focus."

For Diana, she sublimed her giggle. How was she going to focus with these noises ringing in her ears?

—_"Fucking yes, Baby! Oh, don't stop now. Yes! YES! Do it harder. Oh, holy shitttttt!"—_

—_Smack! Smack!—_

—_"Oh shit, I'm cooommminnggg!"—_

A loud groan rang. And then—the divine silence.

"Finally," Diana mumbled a prayer to Goddess Aphrodite as sex marathon died down.

Even though as an Amazon Diana had no shame for hiding bodily beauty, she knew somehow Man's world had its own version of blatant love display, which disturbed her fundamental principles. And shook her focal point of justice. And never being in presence of Bruce had helped those situations either.

On contrary, some of those cuddly images emerged before her aqua eyes, swamping her thoughts, and fogging her mind. And for a fleeting moment, Diana remembered the unused, lonely bed in her apartment. If mother hadn't arrived she might…

_Oh, shut up!_ Diana mentally wiped her thoughts. _Focus on mission._

Distracting herself, Diana asked. "When are we going in?"

"Not now. Until we get more info, we wait and analyze."

More waiting, how romantic? Diana sighed.

Could she believe this was the same man who had been dining and dancing with her, just few hours ago. Indeed, he was disguised as some Wayne Industries worker, but it didn't quell her doubt that he was happy to have their date interrupted. _Might be_, her inner Amazon added. _He is a man eventually._

Despite that, Diana couldn't fathom he was acting all night. Not possible. Yes, he was a brilliant actor, and Diana had seen his skills on daily basis whenever she visited one of those galas where Bruce Wayne lay wasted with couples of ballerina in his arms and bragged about his fictional life as playboy.

"A sentry."

Jolting, his raspy voice stirred Diana from her muses. "What?"

"Sentry, two' O clock. Watch." Passing his binoculars, Batman said in crisp words.

Diana took hold of binoculars, eyed the roof of cake shop, littered with broken poles and half-erected wall. Building seemed old to her. Yet, as she swept her gaze at two' O clock position, a small patch of orange-reddish glow brought her attention to stop. Diana brows crinkled and she zoomed in. She was familiar with working of thermal binoculars of Batman, like Kal's X-ray vision, but this…was uncanny.

"It seems a small heat patch of some kind, surely not a sentry."

"No." Batman said. "Someone is out there. Must be shielded of exposing thermal signs. Perhaps using a kind of heat-reflecting cover for his position. I've used it sometimes. It can disguise your thermal signature by dissipating the heat equally in your surroundings and masking off your heat from thermal detectors."

"It shields absolutely from thermal scan?" Diana asked, curious in his assumption. "A kind of thermal cloaking device, you mean."

"Yes," Batman replied. "But it doesn't shield totally. Masking thermal signature is as tough as getting invisible. Besides, nothing is full proof, Princess."

"Then, we just need to drop by and see ourselves."

"You're not Superman, Princess. Anything thrown at you won't just ping off. Remember?"

Diana glared at his rebuking tone. "I don't need to be reminded of how invincible am I, _Batman_. Perhaps, you need to remember that."

As if casted in stone, Batman ignored her tone. "I'll drop by first. Then you can swoop in, and investigate. Show no hast—"

"I know my stuff," Diana said, cutting him off. _Egoist._

**0o0o0o**

Angered. Batman mused as he saw her flying away like he'd told her to.

Is he a sadistic as most people believe? Batman didn't knew, or at best didn't want to know. But often he fancied the idea that one day, she'd give up on him and move on with her life. It was best for her. And…for him too.

But he knew her well. Too well, actually. Eventually, her anger would wisp away with winds and then, again, she'd be at his side appetizing him, prodding him, and persuading him with her innocent smiles.

_Too much expectation is fatal in our work line_, his inner bat advised in his monotone.

How he had longed to return her feelings with his own. Especially after hearing those three magical words from her lips. Magical words—indeed, they sounded magical from Diana's lips.

_Only if you knew how to say the same to her._ Inner bat clucked his tongue in humorless laugh, taunting him further.

Again, the sentry shadow moved on the roof, betraying its position to bat eyes.

_Time for the mission._

Tracking the sentry moves from his white slits, Batman discerned the sentry was alone. And careful. And restless. Perhaps from long sentry duty.

_About time to relive it._

As gloved fingers gripped the bat-grappler, zeroed in at the rooftop, and fired, the Batman dropped from his vantage point like a true bat. Behind him, the black cape swept through the air in batwing formation, buffered up the flight of Dark Knight, and for first time in that night, his batarang baptized between his fingers.

And as much as he tried, Batman couldn't shake the inkling feeling: the night had _just_ started.

**0o0o0o**

**(On the roof of cake shop)**

Surrounded by old, broken concrete pillars, Deadshot was bored out of death. His cybernetic single eye drooped from sleepiness as he lay by his stomach on the roof of cake shop.

Notably, being a sniper shot was a patience job, and Deadshot was willfully patience person. Particularly when it came to cradling his favorite Sniper gun.

Putting his eye to gun-scope, waiting for his prey to walk into gun's crosshair, then pulling the trigger, and afterword watching his victim die—unsurprised, in one shot—was a joy only a fellow sniper could share with him. But sadly, he was so thoroughly patience with his skills that he had pushed himself to a limit where other snipers couldn't compete. In result, he was the best. No gloating.

That was why he was lying here in rooftop. Waiting.

Damn! He couldn't trust his own luck that his employer had stuck him with a stupid sentry duty. He was the Deadshot. The best sniper on Earth the money could afford, and what he was doing, babysitting a cake shop because Wonder Woman would drop soon.

Not that Floyd minded watching a smoldering, hot chick roaming around him, especially someone like Wonder Woman. Still, he would be a fool to fall for the obvious trap—the Justice League.

Those bunch of Halloween costumes wearer, calling themselves mighty Justice heroes, were real troubles. And as a good profit making mercenary, Deadshot tried to avoid them at all cost. They just wasted time. And money. And worst of all, they might put him into that damned place called the Super Max Prison. In that jail, even super-rats tortured you horribly in night.

Hell! he'd prefer to die first rather than spending time in that stinking shit hole. Ugh!

Besides, they always policed away his wrist guns before throwing him in the cell. And nothing bothered the Deadshot more than his wrist guns. They were like his small babies, cute ones, who ate bullets for their food and spat death at his adversaries. And, all these babies talk reminded him, he was hungry. Luckily, he had his last hamburger in stash that lay to his right.

Unwrapping the soiled packing, Deadshot dug his teeth hungrily despite the staleness of burger. _'bout the time to eat._ A growl from his stomach agreed.

Usually, he ate after his work was complete, working ethics you know, but today seemed good enough time for a small bite. Not like Wonder Woman could detect his presence. Hell! No one could detect his presence right now.

From head to toe, Deadshot wore his new dress of polymorphic-titanium binding fiber. A new suit, provided by his employer solely for this mission. In addition to being fire proof, bulletproof, and looking nice, it was quite comfortable too.

But the most prominent features were, being shielded by X-rays, sound waves, and thermal imaging. Not even Superman like Meta could detect his heartbeat if he stood by his side.

_Now that's what a good suit is_, Deadshot grinned. Sure, his employer was kind of weirdo, but he was good one. Certainly, he was not the first one Deadshot had met, and not the first time for Deadshot as a mercenary. In fact, his most jobs employers were deranged dumbs. But what you could say, when these weirdoes paid more handsomely than regular ones. Still, that much foreshadowing for a woman—his current employer was certified nutcase…

_SHHHppppp!_

Wind sluiced and sang with a sound, and his half-eaten burger fell down to the floor with a—audible _thupp!_

_What the heck! _The taste of coppery blood stung on Sniper's lips. Instantly, he froze, blood still trickling down on his chin as Deadshot's single eye looked into his gun scope.

Cracking the fragile glass of gun-scope, stuck in the exact center of crosshair was a metal. Deadshot pulled it out, but his hand dropped the metal piece with clang, as if the metal was a hot amber. Burning.

A batarang.

"_Floyd!_"

A voice scythed the warm air behind him, sacking the residual heat of night air, and sending a forbidding chill through the spine of Deadshot. At that moment, Floyd knew one thing: this job just went from boring to dangerous.

He turned over and watched.

There he was.

The Batman.

Standing nowhere and still hanging in middle air like a ghost, only the white slits bore at Deadshot like a jaguar eyed on his prey, before hungrily pouncing and tearing its prey apart to bones. Of course, Deadshot knew—Batman didn't kill, but that didn't motivate him as slowly and surely, the Ghost neared without any noise. And almost frozen in surprise, Deadshot sprinted late to his own rescue.

He wasn't paid to fight this demon.

**0o0o0o**

Five minutes.

Come after five minutes. That's what Batman had directed Diana as she hung in air, flying and waiting for the right time. However, what kept her mind busy was her heart, which still scuba-dived in depth of her love life. Or the trouble that seemed to be already emerging.

Diana was no fool. She had seen the clear sign of "to and fro" from her beau and she had enough material to guess that he'd try to avoid any conclusive answers. Maybe why he was so eager to accept this mission.

_Let him try,_ she thought. _He won't succeed._

Yet, romance had to wait. Because right now, she wanted herself beside him. Fighting, as usual. Verbally or by fists that totally depended on her beau. And even if it took to beat him into an alley, Diana wasn't one to back down from her promise. _You wait and watch mister._

**0o0o0o**

_(Rooftop of the cake shop)_

"_Floyd!_" Dark Knight's voice, harsh and brutal like chilled arctic winds, echoed on the rooftop as he strode over to place where Deadshot had left his sniper gun and disappeared in darkness. He bent on his armored knees, picked up the foul device, then bent and cracked the weapon in two pieces as if it were made up of wood.

_"Floyd!"_

Hid behind a broken pillar, Deadshot's mind shivered. Layers upon layers of fears shredded and exposed, one by one, torturing the Sniper boy as he dug deeper in darkness. But the ruined spire behind which he took shelter, offered only minimal safety from "the psycho" who was mobbing him.

Psycho—that's the nickname Deadshot had chosen for Gotham guardian.

That man should be in Arkham Asylum, caged and gagged like his whole fucking rogue gallery. But Deadshot understood the GCPD and the Batman had their own understanding.

After all, he had worked for that lunatic clown once—God! That manic was beyond being redeemed. Which was one of the reasons, Deadshot tried to avoid Gotham city for any assignment. The city was doomed like its villains and heroes alike. _Shit for nothing!_

"_Floyd, you cannot hide from me!_"

Again, the primal part of Deadshot argued to leave the job and run. But he had his obligation. He had took his payment in advance, and he wasn't one to back off from his job. He had a reputation to maintain and running away was not the option.

"_Your new suit would take you nowhere._"

Deadshot shook his head. His wrist guns were ready to fire. Still, he waited.

If he was a common thug, he would've jumped and tried shooting at the Batman. But he knew Dark Knight well, the man could dodge bullets better than any Meta with super speed. Further, his employer had strictly directed the mercenary to keep the noises under control. They didn't want to entertain local cops here.

"_Who are you working for, Floyd?_"

Deadshot gritted his teeth as Batman used his alter-ego name repeatedly. He hated the dorky knight passionately. And despite every nerve screaming at him to not say a single word, before he knew, he was saying already. "It's Deadshot for you, Dorky Ass!"

In next heartbeat, he knew he had invited the trouble. Literally.

_Move you dumbass_, he cursed himself, knowing his voice must have indicated his position to Bat.

Dissolving himself best with night shadows casted by skyscrapers, Deadshot wrenched his neck from one-side to another, checking furtively for any sign of Bat. But he met only silence. _Must have outran him_—he assured himself. But then…

"_Floyd!_"

Deadshot froze, not because of fear. But when two white slits bore down in your eyes, without any other thing to see, your mind instantly screams—Ghost! Yet, his training fared better and Deadshot just stared at the slit, muted in fear. He almost forgot about he had wrist guns. Then, with spike of training, Deadshot cocked his wrist gun to approaching slits, who in response went narrower and increased their glower, heating the air around him.

Deadshot felt suffocated.

"_You cannot run, Floyd!_" Batman growled, raking and awaking the most intoxicant emotion of human brain: fear.

If Deadshot hadn't encountered him so many times before, he also might've thought him as a bad nightmare from the hell. But, he knew better to dismiss Dorky Knight as just a bad dream. He was a naked truth. A terror in pure form.

"_You cannot outrun your shadow, Floyd!_" Gauntleted hands gripped on Deadshot's neck from nowhere, tightening in slow speed as if an anaconda wrenched the life out of its prey. Slowly killing it, then feasting later.

"I'm not here to harm anyone!" Deadshot argued.

_"Really! But I don't believe you, Floyd."_

"I'm telling the truth. I'm just a sentry here."

_"Who? Floyd. Who are you working for?"_ Disembodied voice asked again.

But Deadshot remained silent. Not just out of loyalty for his employer, but because next second—a grunt arose from shadow. The grunt of the Caped Crusader.

In flip of events, next second, the Deadshot was free with a big grin on his face.

**0o0o0o**

Anguished pain erupted in his backside as the Batman pumped out a kick to his new assailant. Armored boots connected with solid flesh thump—sending the other figure skittering across the floor with a thud. Then, a voice spoke.

"Ouch! Is that a way to greet a girl, _Batman_?"

"_Depends on the girl, Cheetah!_" Batman hissed back. Cheetah. He should've known if Diana was involved, then her archenemy would be here too.

"Missed me?"

"_Can't say I did._"

"Now that's a real heartbreaker."

_"You arranged all this?"_ he asked. Even though Batman hadn't expected any answers, Cheetah replied.

"You really think it's my work?" her voice filled with mockery, whisker crumpled in sad smile. "I'd rather send poisoned letter to that skimpy Princess of yours."

Batman frowned. He assessed his situation. Two to one—not a problem, but what he didn't like was these two were working for someone. Certainly not another Secret Society by that overgrown zoo monkey Grodd. But who? A list of possible suspect rolled in:

Luthor. Not possible. He was lost in some unknown universe. Circe. Impossible for certain. She was bound in Underworld under personal jurisdiction of Hades. Gorilla Grodd. Locked up in a magical mage designed by Doctor Fate. And other small super villains were still licking their wounds in Max prison, after the catastrophic battle with Darkseid while Justice League hunted them down.

"What are you doing here?" Cheetah asked, dusting herself off. "I thought you stayed in that your hellish city always."

"_Crime pays everywhere, Cheetah_."

"So have I heard," Cheetah said as she tossed a burning flare into floor, lighting up the roof, and a ghastly image of three individuals appeared.

Mostly, the Batman stood between two super-goons. One side, Deadshot pointed his both wrist guns at him, and at other Cheetah remained poised on her hunches, ready to attack with poisoned claws.

Already, the Batman could feel the poison seeping in his wounds. Even if he took his antidotes on regular basis, he'd need to treat it later. Otherwise, Alfred would be sore-hearted, reminding Bruce on every occasion possible. Which was far worse than what was happening with him now.

"We'd love to entertain you, Bats." Deadshot spoke as he aimed his guns on the cowl. "But we have an assignment to fulfill first. So, Cheetah, would you finish it?"

Unbothered by threats, Batman just stood and waited. Knees bent to take action, muscles taut like a bow string, and blue eyes scanned his opponents. Strategy planned:

First, he needed to extinguish that burning flare. Darkness enhanced his skills and reduced the time take to defeat his enemy. Especially after dark descended upon his opponents, he could deal with Deadshot easily. For Cheetah, he had to be careful. Her feline augmentation made her eyesight better with darkness. But for everything, the Dark Knight had a solution.

"You won't win, Bats. It's two of us, now." Deadshot declared.

But Batman just smirked.

"_Soon, you would be alone, Deadshot._"

"What?" Deadshot perked his eye to Caped Crusader, just as a golden rope flung in his view. And before he could warn his partner, the rope looped around Cheetah and made her fly. And Cheetah shrieked in a familiar rage.

"Wonder Bitch! I'll kill you!"

"Never learnt the proper language, did you Cheetah?" Diana smiled as lasso of truth tightened its hold on flailing feline super villainess.

While Batman turned to Deadshot, who seemed in between the decision of fight or flight. However, before the Batman could lung forward and question him further, a voice rose. And everyone turned to a new figure that stepped into flare light.

"I think that's enough play for today, Boys and Girls!"

**0o0o0o**

**A/n:** Don't forget to leave a review of what you liked. Or not. Both are good for me.

Until then frnds. Keep reading.


End file.
